The Lives We Lead
by XIIIth Hazard
Summary: (Part: 3) – A new home, a new life, it's all they ever wanted. However to be truly free they must first confront the man responsible for their past, but to do so will require them to match his strength. Turtle-Verse/Alternate Dimension. (Sequel: to 'The Roads We Walk.')
1. Prologue

Welcome to Part 3:

Sorry for the long wait my loyal readers, I had to move again and didn't have access to the internet for several months. I've had to do _A LOT _of research on this story (particularly this part) so the whole process pretty much came to a _screeching halt_ for a while there.

Please forgive me!

But I won't make you wait any longer; so without any further distractions, here is…

* * *

_The Lives We Lead_

Prologue:

_(Splinter:)_

Splinter smiled as they walked off the ship and the turtles looked up at Mount Fuji with a level of awe and inspiration that he hadn't seen for many years.

True; Japan had become one of the most peaceful countries in the world since the mutagen outbreak. But the fascination people once held for the mountain had long since died away. They just no longer had the time or energy to spare for something that wasn't survival related.

But perhaps his children could change that.

He quickly moved them off the ramp as sailors started to unload and reload crates, preparing for their next launch. But even in all the commotion it became pretty obvious that Kale's crew were going to miss the turtles.

Just about everyone took an extra second to say their goodbyes, many of which Splinter had never even seen interacting with the children. But he could understand their reasoning, for he too had experienced how their young minds had _restored_ his faith; just when he began to fear that his cause was lost.

When Long showed himself on the docks, he immediately gave each one of them a hug, regardless if they wanted it or not. Raphael was without a doubt the most vocal about the attention and mushy stuff, but the sailor couldn't have cared less.

A minute later Scott showed himself as well, looking somewhat mournful as he studied the land around him before taking a seat nearby. It was obvious that the man still suffered greatly and would no doubt take many years to completely heal from his misery, _if_ he healed at all.

Leatherhead arrived shortly after followed closely by August. The alligator looked around for a second before smiling toward Splinter and stated with a bow. "It is an honor to be in your land Splinter-san."

Splinter smiled and bowed back declaring his thanks.

"Well?" August suddenly yelling caused the turtles to jump and look at him. "Don't just stand there." He ordered and almost immediately they ran to give him a hug.

August had chosen to tell them of his departure several days ago, hoping to prepare them. Though the children were in no way as attached to August and they had been to April, they still didn't want him to leave.

The man gave each one of them a hug and a pat on the shell, taking a moment to whisper several things into their ears. Splinter chose not to listen, for if the man's words were meant to be heard by all, they would have been.

After several minute, he finally stood up again to address Leatherhead, who bowed deeply toward him. "I didn't mean to abandon you like this, but –" August started.

"Think nothing of it, my friend." Leatherhead quickly interrupted. "You have other duties and so do I."

"I do not ask you to stay if you don't want to, Leatherhead." Splinter stated firmly.

"I am here because I _want _to be, Splinter-san." The alligator disputed again. "It has been so long since I've had a purpose. I could not have _asked_ for a better way to start living again."

"Thank you." Splinter declared truly touched by his words.

"This should make you easier to find too." August stated absent-mindedly with a smile before sticking his hand out respectfully. "Always an honor old friends." Splinter and Leatherhead took turns shaking his hand before he turned back to the turtles; who had come up to crowd around his legs.

Mikey was starting to cry a little, but Leo and Donnie were quick to comfort him. Raphael however looked to be at a loss.

"Hey." August proclaimed kneeling down to his level. "Don't forget what we talked about. Never let a bond like that become a minority, Raph." August declared in a soft voice, poking a finger into the turtle's plastron. "Cause you never know what you have – until it's _gone_."

Raphael seemed to consider that for a second; then nodded slowly but at the same time _determinedly_. Causing Leo to look at him curiously and ask something in their old language, but Raph just smiled and pushed him away playfully. Leonardo didn't appear to be all that pleased with the response but decided not to pursue it.

August just smiled and rubbed the young leader's head playfully before standing up again, just as Kale happened to walk down the ramp.

"We're almost ready." He told August. "We have to be in Singapore by tomorrow."

"Sure you don't mind if I tag along? I'm not nearly as interesting as these folks." August asked, pointing a thumb back at Splinter and his crew.

"Nah, we could always use more ship hands." Kale declared then added brightly. "Besides, someone's gotta clean the _heads_." August gave the man a look before deciding that it wasn't worth commenting on.

Kale then turned to Splinter and bowed, to which the old rat returned the gesture once more. "If I may ask a favor?" Kale requested holding out a small leather knapsack. Splinter took the bag and peeked inside before closing it again and nodded.

Kale smiled at him in thanks then turned back to the turtles and knelt down to their level. "We didn't finish your training but that doesn't mean you get to slack off. I _expect_ you to keep it up." He ordered with an air of authority, causing all four of them to nod vigorously.

The older mutant couldn't help but smile again before proceeding to take them all into his arms in a childish manner, like he was prepared to 'hug them and squeeze them and call them George.'

After a minute however, it dissolved into a genuine hug, one that he didn't give very often. "Never forget who you are and you will never be forgotten." He told them wisely. They seemed a little surprised by the subtlety of such a statement, but understood his meaning none-the-less.

…

Several minutes later Splinter and company were waving encouragingly at the ship as it left port, watching it go until they could no longer make out who was on deck. Splinter then turned to Leatherhead who had both Mikey and Raph on his shoulders so they could see as far as they could.

The alligator seemed genuinely at peace and enjoyed the attention and Splinter smiled as he moved to assist Scott.

"Will you be alright?" He whispered to the man.

Perry looked up as he stood again, thinking about that for a minute, before finally nodding. "It may not seem like it, but I _am_ grateful for all you've done for me, Splinter." Scott admitted.

Splinter nodded back before stating. "You have helped me and my family. Whenever you are ready my friend. I will be there to help you and yours."

"Splinter?" The rat master looked around when he felt a little hand touch his and found Leonardo.

"Yes, my son?" He answered.

"Where are we going now?" The little turtle requested causing his brothers to all look at their father as well, obviously just as curious.

"_Home_, my sons, home." Splinter couldn't help but smile again when the turtles pouted, obviously not all that pleased with the simple response, but he wanted it to be a surprise.

The rat master then turned and escorted the group away from the docks and into the city. With expertise and a lifelong knowledge of the land at his disposal, it was all but simple to locate his chosen destination.

…

They walked for about ten minutes before Splinter lead them to the 'Toba Transit Station.' It was run down and patched up, but still mostly operational. The turtles were obviously prepared to riddle out where _home _was themselves if he wouldn't tell them, as they immediately ran to the sign that displayed the stops and tried to locate their destination.

Splinter swallowed a laugh as they became aware of the fact that it was written in _Japanese_. True he had been teaching them to speak and write in the foreign tongue and they could usually understand what he was saying too. But _reading_ was a completely different beast.

When Raph and Mikey looked to Donnie for an explanation, he only gave them an annoyed glare. Kale had informed Splinter of the child's _handicap_ for understanding another language on the spot. It would appear that the little turtle had informed his brothers of it as well, yet they still continued to bug him about it.

By the time the train pulled into the station, Donatello had taken to completely ignoring them both, but thankfully for him, the automatic woman's voice stated the names of the towns and cities in both Japanese and English. So his brothers decided to spare his sanity for the moment.

It took a minute of encouragement to get them on the train, as they had never even _seen_ a train before. But it was long before they were all on board and watching the land go by as they passed through the stations of Asama, Isuzugawa and Iseshi.

However there was a delay before reaching Miyamachi, as the train came to an ominous stop and they were asked to remain calm and thanked for their patience. To that Splinter had to ask, 'What patience?'

Leonardo was all but convinced that Shredder or the Purple Dragons were responsible before Splinter informed him that it was a common occurrence. Raph looked like he was going to break something after the first minute and Mikey was having too much fun looking out the windows to care either way.

After a while Leo and Donnie started to get nervous and huddled around their father as the few _human_ passengers in the car _watched_ them with interest. True they may have looked as normal as any other mutant. But _children _were still very rare, especially four of the _same_ species.

"Master Splinter?" Leonardo whispered, still huddled at his side and he gave the turtle his attention. "Can they _tell_?" He whispered again.

"Tell what, Leonardo?" He whispered back, rubbing a hand down his back, trying to sooth him.

"That we're different." Splinter was somewhat shocked by this, did they really believe that they were so unusual, simply because they were _born_ in a different way?

"No; my son. They can not." Splinter answered confidently, hoping to ease some of his worry. Leonardo seemed to trust his words for now, but Donnie still eyed the humans like he expected them to attack.

Created in a lab, enduring the pain and living through the suffering they had; had no doubt left them all with a certain distrust and dislike for humans, but Donnie had been the only to understand _why_.

He had seen and learned far more than his brothers and that knowledge had bred into _hatred_. One that he could actually _justify_ and no doubt still harbored deep in his soul, something that conflicted violently with his real self.

The little turtle couldn't have been happier when the problem was fixed and the train finally started moving again and after two more stops at Obata and Akeno, the car was nearly emptied of everyone but them.

And it seemed that his sons were quickly learning _why_.

The further they moved inland the more it looked like the only living thing on the island were _trees_. The mutagen, once seeped into the soil, caused plants to grow at an exponential rate and far larger than man could ever hope to contain.

This made it difficult for humans to live in wide spread cities, which was why they usually grouped into smaller places, so they'd have better luck holding back the encroaching forests. _Mutants_ however thrived in these overgrown areas. It seemed to almost _prove_ that the human race was short lived, like the earth had cast its' vote and they were quickly being run out, replaced by the next generation.

As Splinter watched the turtles examine the area, he could tell that Donatello was once again thinking much the same thing. Ever since their escape, he had learned that not all humans were bad and that part of him wanted to save them from their fate. But at the same time he _feared_ what they would do if given a second chance.

He was truly beginning to worry for his son. Donnie may not have collapsed under the weight of his loathe, but one little push in the wrong direction and he could be eaten alive by it and what was worse was that even Splinter himself couldn't deny feeling the same way and therefore he _could not _help him.

…

"Igakanbe Station." The automatic voice stated a little over an hour later, waking Splinter from his thoughts and he quickly collected his sons and led the group out onto the platform before the train took off again.

"Is this it?" Scott asked looking around. It was obvious that he and Leatherhead were just as curious about their destination as the turtles by this point.

"No." Splinter answered watching his sons as they deflated again. They had only to wait a few minutes before the next train arrived, though this one was no doubt a wonder of modern ingenuity for it to somehow still move at all.

"Yoshi?" A mutant that worked on the transit stated, as she walked in from the next car while they boarded. Splinter turned at the mention of his old name only to be met with a mass of white fur and an excited young teenager.

"Amaya." He stated in Japanese as he hugged her back.

"It's so good to see you again." She bubbled, before backing up to speak to him face-to-face. "Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

"There was no need. Everything is fine." Splinter assured her kindly, but she just continued to give him a look as if to say. 'Just because you're a ninja doesn't mean I can't scold you.' But before she could state this she happened to look over his shoulder and noticed their audience.

"Hello." She said in English with a bow toward Scott and Leatherhead.

"My friends, this is Amaya." Splinter introduced her. "She came to our complex a few years back to learn self-defense. _I_ was her teacher." He explained.

"Shock! Right?" She added, indicating the similarities between her and Splinter, most notably their _species_. "Though it looks like you've found a few more victims to terrorize." She stated noticing the turtles and knelt down to whisper to them. "Don't let him push you around; he isn't nearly as scary as he wants you to think."

"Amaya." Splinter scolded.

"What?" She asked giving him a look of pure innocence. "Just doing my part to help out the younger generation." She declared importantly. Unfortunately for Splinter, he didn't get the chance to complain as the train picked that moment to squeal disapprovingly and come to a rattling stop.

"Oh come on. Again?" She grumbled before opening the door and looked outside with a sigh. "Nobody panic." She told them as she gracefully hopped out onto the tracks. "Just needs some love." And with that she ran off to see to the problem.

"I take it this happens a lot?" Leatherhead asked as he sat down.

"Yes. But Amaya is a very good mechanic." Splinter explained as he finally took a set. "She's part of the reason this train still functions."

"She looked like you." Mikey stated the obvious earning another smack upside the head from one of his brothers.

"A _mouse_?" Scott asked wanting to be sure. Even with his expertise on mutant anatomy some cases where still hard to tell from sight alone and considering that many mutants didn't react well to being confused for other species it paid to do one's research.

"Yes." Splinter answered with a nod. "She was quite young when it happened and did not adapt well at first. Our similar appearance was part of the reason I was chosen to train her."

"She seems like a nice girl." Scott observed.

"Yes. Though she can be quite – _spirited_." Splinter added, obviously struggling to find a way to explain the wild teenager.

"You must have rubbed off on her." Leatherhead joked and couldn't help but laugh when Splinter gave him a disapproving look.

…

_Amaya ~ Japanese name meaning: Night Rain._

…

It took maybe 20 minutes for the train to start again and the electric tour guide stated in a faded, static-y voice that they would arrive at Uenoshi Station momentarily. Amaya returned once but only long enough to be called forth to fix something else. They heard her voice tell them goodbye after walking out onto the platform though her physical form was nowhere to be seen.

"Are we here? Are we here?" Mikey chanted excitedly, looking around at all the trees and plants, trying to make out where they were.

"Almost, my son." Splinter stated; making sure the turtles stayed on the path as they walked through the overgrown forest.

"There was a city here once." Leatherhead observed slightly surprised, as he looked at the many collapsed and ruined buildings, literally being eaten alive by the vegetation and water. Many appeared to have been there for hundreds of years, when in reality they had barely stood for 40.

"Yes." Splinter answered. "In its day it was a tourist sight. A _park_. As you can see the trees moved in very quickly." He explained.

As they walked further and further into the forest, trees took on odd shapes as a result of people trying to hold them back to create the path. Trickles of water flowed freely on just about every foot of earth and buildings became more and more unrecognizable as they neared the heart of the jungle.

"Hey, look at that." Raph yelled excitedly and Splinter watched as the turtles ran to investigate a line of rusted old cars. As a small child, Splinter could remember this street being one of the first to be abandoned. The people hadn't even had time to collect their belongings and had chosen to leave their vehicles behind once they became stuck in the ever growing mob of traffic.

Pulling Donatello from the innards of one car, he shoed them on ahead and couldn't help but smile at their laugher and play as they continued to try and riddle out where they were going.

He himself may not remember a time when the world was whole and _normal_. But this was his life; he had known these trees since he was young, walked these streets while they continued to disappear. His world was ever changing but he had adapted and endured and now so would his children.

…

About 10 minutes later, Splinter stopped and randomly brushed some foliage away to reveal a brick wall.

"Was that there before?" Scott asked looking behind them, trying to figure out where the random building had appeared from.

"Actually it has been here since 1585." Splinter declared absent-mindedly and smiled slightly at the man's confused glance before leading the group into the forest parallel to the path. Following the wall as it separated the woods from whatever lay behind it.

It wasn't long before the road began to slop upwards and they had to work to keep from slipping. Mikey however was not so burdened as he lived by three simple rules.

Slopes were _meant_ to be slidon.

Walls _must_ be used as halfpipes.

And a ramp should _never_ beignored.

(Not necessarily in that order.)

The littlest turtle proceeded to laugh out loud when his brothers were forced to grab his arms to keep him from sliding back down the hill on his shell and afterwards seemed quite content to just let them haul him up the hill instead of wasting his own energy on the climb.

Splinter was about to put a stop to the unruly behavior when – "Raph! Put me down!" Mikey screeched suddenly in fake fear, clinging to his older brother for dear life as Raphael threw the rambunctious turtle over his shoulder and continued up the mountain as if nothing was amiss.

Leatherhead chuckled to himself trying to hide his amusement behind his hand and even Scott smiled at the scene.

"Kids!" Splinter sighed following behind his sons as they meandered up the hill, however he wasn't at all surprised to find them all frozen in their tracks at the top as they took in the sight before them.

"It's a _castle_, like in April's story books." Leo stated as Raph pushed him out-of-the-way to get a better look.

"That's right. It's called the Iga Ueno Castle, _Hakuho_ or White Phoenix." Splinter professed as the other two men walked up behind him and awed at the beautiful white Japanese style building that seemed to be almost buried under the growth of trees and plants; yet at the same time _accented _by them. "However it is most noted as the _birthplace of_ _Ninjutsu_." Splinter added.

"Cool." Leo, Mikey and Raph oohed as one.

"I never imagined something like this could have survived so long." Scott stated impressed.

"It still stands today because people have taken the time to protect and restore it." Splinter explained. "Particularly the _Hamato_ Clan."

He allowed them to take in the sight for another minute before directing his sons to the correct path and guided them toward the wall again. It didn't surprise him at all that Michelangelo was the first to see the stone staircase and smiled as the little turtle pointed it out to his brothers before challenging them to a race to the top.

When the three older men finally caught up with the children again they were crowded around a large iron gate, trying to see what lay on the other side of the bars and foliage. They watched curiously as Splinter walked up and touched a strange symbol on the wall next to it, turning it a few times and used several hand signs to manipulate the sensitive pressure plate underneath.

"Stay with me." He ordered as the gate opened to admit them and he lead the way inside. "I am not the _first_ to bring strangers here but we must announce your presence first."

Leatherhead and Scott merely nodded as they looked around at the old but still amazing Japanese walls and roofs. All of which appeared to have been almost _expertly_ hidden by the flora, while still allowing for easy movement under their protective cover.

Splinter was the only one to notice that some of the shadows seemed to move of their own accord or that they were being followed and watched closely as they approached the middle of the complex.

He led the way though a large doorway that turned out to be nothing but an outdoor courtyard. A _massive _white wisteria tree towered over the center of the yard, supported by dozens of smaller colorful ones around the inner edge of the wall. Together they roofed the area like a blanket, allowing only small points of sunlight through the covering, making the ground look like a mural of stars.

"Neat." Leo stated reaching up to gently pet one of the hundreds of little clusters of flowers hanging over them.

"It's beautiful." Leatherhead proclaimed admiring the view as Splinter lead the way further onto the stone courtyard, where it seemed everyone in the estate currently dwelled.

Splinter watched the turtle's eyes widen in shock as they took in the training area. Cordoned off into several blocks, humans and mutants of all ages trained and bettered themselves in all manner of martial arts.

"Wow." Scott declared impressed.

"I was not aware that your clan was so _big_ Splinter-san." Leatherhead stated.

"It _isn't_." Splinter corrected causing the men to look at him. "Many of them are only here to learn basic defense. Very few are actually ninjas and even fewer are members of my clan."

"That's still cool." Mikey stated watching a couple of young female mutants performing some katas. "Can we do that?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes, my son." Splinter answered but quickly added before he could run off. "But not before you have been announced."

"_Awww._" Mikey whined dejectedly.

"Announced by _who_ Sensei?" Leo asked but Splinter just gathered them up and maneuvered them to the side of the outdoor dojo, heading for the back door, where they located an area that seemed to be completely dedicated to the growth of _food_.

Trees with all kinds of fruits dotted the area between rows of rice, wheat and vegetables, as several people meandered about the land caring for the plants, gently picking ripe food and painstakingly replanting others.

However only _one_ of them demanded their full attention.

"Yoshi-san." Someone said in Japanese and they all looked toward the voice to find a huge mutant _bear_ thundering toward them.

Splinter turned to greet the man with a bow. "Roku." He said in English as an indication that not all present could speak their language.

The bear nodded in understanding before continuing in English as well. "I assume yur trip was successful?" He asked in a deep Brooklyn accent.

"Yes." Splinter answered before looking down at the turtles who had crowed around his legs watching the man nervously. "It is alright, my sons." He stated before waving a hand in the direction of the new man. "This is Elder Roku."

It took a minute but Leo was eventually the first to come out followed shortly by his brothers.

"Hi." Mikey said in a small voice and waved at the new mutant.

The bear watched them for another minute before smiling. "It is alright lil ones, I assure ya I da not bite. _Often_." He added causing the four to hide behind their father again. Roku laughed before turning back to Splinter. "It appears ya need a council meeting." He observed and Splinter nodded.

…

Several minutes later they found themselves escorted to one of the three large buildings of the castle, where they sat on some soft cushions around a table and waited.

It was obvious that the meeting area had at one time been some kind of museum, as glass cases and antique artifacts littered the area. All of which were now attached to the walls some times three rows up or more, where they couldn't be disturbed or damaged.

Splinter allowed the turtles to look around at the Japanese décor as long as they promised to be respectful and watched them take in the sights that humans had once paid money to see.

"Splinter?" Scott asked and he turned to the man again "What exactly should we expect to happen here? If you don't mind me asking?"

"They simply wish to ensure that you mean no harm, my friend." Splinter responded. "Remember there are many young people here, they would not be _training _were they already fierce warriors. It is our duty to protect them until they can protect themselves."

"Of course." Scott stated in realization. "I didn't even think of that."

Splinter was about to say something more when Mikey cried out in shock and he immediately got to his feet to ensure his son's safety. He found the three youngest hiding behind Leo again as they watched a _ninja_ appear from the shadows in front of them.

"I'm impressed little ones." She declared with a swish of her long black tail. "Most do not see me even when they are _looking_."

"Shichi." Splinter said with a small level of surprise, admittedly even _he _had not realized that the panther mutant was there.

"Where on earth did you find such _adorable_ little _kame_?" She asked crouching down to look at them more closely, causing them all to blush profusely in embarrassment and hid behind their big brother again.

"It is a long story." Splinter explained as the doors to the room opened gently and several other people admitted themselves into the hall. At the front was a large male _albino_ tiger, followed by a small female human; who had to be at least _half_ Splinter's age. Next was Roku the bear and another female human, who looked to be far more experienced than the other.

"It is good to see you well, Splinter-San." The tiger declared with a bow.

"Thank you Ichi." He responded, not at all surprised that the elder had already learned of his new title.

"Will ya three leave them alone already?" Roku suddenly asked and everyone turned to find the three females had all but surrounded the turtles, awing and cooing at them like they were their own children.

"You're just jealous because they don't like you." Shichi proclaimed tickling Mikey lightly and causing him to laugh hysterically.

"How old are they?" The older woman asked.

Splinter was about to answer when he realized that he didn't rightfully know.

"The three oldest will be five in June." Scott came to his rescue. "And the youngest in July."

"Aw, even cuter." The younger woman cooed, finally causing the four children to run to their father again.

"It is alright." Splinter assured them.

"Come on people." Ichi ordered taking a seat at the front of the table. "Sit! We have business to discuss." With that Shichi quickly moved to sit on his right while Roku and the other two sat wherever a seat was available. "I believe introductions are in order." Ichi proclaimed and introduced himself as the _leader_ of the Hamato Clan.

"This is my second-in-command; Shichi." He said waving a hand at the panther mutant who smiled at the room. "Elder Roku." He stated and Roku bowed, before Ichi finally waved toward two others; naming the oldest Jyu and the youngest as San.

"And I can assume you've met Elder Yoshi." The tiger stated nodding toward Splinter causing those around him to look at him in shock.

"_Elder_?" Scott asked.

"Or maybe not." Shichi observed with a laugh.

"Yes." Splinter stated with a nod at Perry. "But I assure you there is no reason to think differently of me."

"Cool, our dad's important." Mikey quailed; earning some aw's from the females again and he quickly relished in the attention.

Ichi massaged his head momentarily like he was trying to imagine himself on a beach somewhere. "Focus please." He stated toward the girls.

"Sorry." San declared, righting herself again, while the other two just laughed and turned to look at him.

"Thank you." Ichi declared turning to Splinter once more. "Yoshi-san, I trust you would not bring those who would mean us harm to this sacred place?" He asked in Japanese.

"No elder." Splinter answered in Japanese as well. "Scott Perry and Leatherhead are good friends, I have spent time with them and I assure you they mean us no harm and could even aid us, if given the chance."

"Very well." Ichi agreed, before turning to the two men and addressed them in English. "Scott Perry, Leatherhead. I must ask that you _never_ reveal the location of this temple to those you feel would harm our students."

"Of course not." Leatherhead stated immediately.

"Never." Scott agreed just as fast.

Ichi nodded before saying. "You should also know that _here_ everyone is equal. If you wish to live here as well you will be expected to treat this building with respect and help to maintain it." Both men nodded immediately and Ichi returned the gesture pleased with the motion.

"We also believe in _contributing_." Roku added and they looked at him.

"Of course." Scott stated once he understood the meaning behind his words. "I was once a doctor, I would be more than happy to offer my knowledge and assistance."

"It would be appreciated." Jyu declared. "Doctors are in short supply these days."

"I too am a doctor, as well as a scientist." Leatherhead proclaimed.

"Even better." Jyu added.

"Mr. Perry." Ichi said again and the scientist looked at him immediately. "With you having once worked for Shredder, I can not risk the knowledge of your presence here reaching our enemy." He stated and the man became somewhat nervous. "So I must ask that you _change_ your _name_."

Scott just looked at him for a second in slight shock before saying. "I admit I didn't expect this kind of welcome." He proclaimed sadly.

"We do not _abandon_ those that need our help." Shichi stated simply but instantly.

After a minute Scott nodded. "I appreciate that and I have actually been thinking about this for a while myself." He admitted. "Which is why I feel you have the right to know that I have _already_ covered my tracks." He revealed and everyone looked at him in expectation.

"It was actually my older _brother _that studied to be a doctor; _I_ wanted to be a Scientist." He started. "But when he died I vowed to continue his work and in doing so I took up his _name_." He proclaimed knowingly. "_Scott_ was my brother. My name is _Jordon_ Perry."

Ichi nodded understandingly and asked kindly. "And no one else knows this about you?"

"No one _alive_." Perry answered.

"That will work." Ichi stated. "I realize that this is quite personal, but I thank you for sharing it with us Mr. Perry." _Jordon_ nodded in acknowledgment before the conversation was moved to a different topic. "Now what of the kame?" The tiger asked of Splinter.

"It is a long story, elder." Splinter explained.

"We have the _time_, old friend." Ichi stated and Splinter nodded before telling him everything.

…

"It seems like every time you go to America you come back a changed man." Shichi proclaimed impressed. "The next time you go overseas you'll probably come back a Buddha." She joked.

"I do hope not." Splinter answered with a small laugh.

"Mr. Perry?" Ichi asked getting the man's attention. "Is this true? Are they really his _biological_ sons?"

"Yes sir." Jordon answered.

"Very well." The tiger stated. "Then they are welcome as _members_ of the Hamato Clan." Splinter couldn't help smiling at this and looked down to take in his son's surprised expressions.

"What?" Leo asked in shock obviously none of them had expected that.

"Really?" Mikey asked looking up at Splinter and he nodded. The response was almost instantaneous as his sons started cheering and hooting it up like this was the best day of their lives. Of course in reality it just might have been.

Splinter was well aware of their unspoken desire to be apart of a family, that's why they had never questioned him when he had taken them as his sons and he had figured they would be more than _ecstatic_ to learn they were actually apart of an even _larger_ family.

Ichi put his head in his hand and Splinter couldn't help but laugh when he muttered the Japanese equivalent of 'God give me strength.'

As the meeting raged on, Jordon and Leatherhead were eventually escorted to the hospital wing by Jyu, who also happened to be the leading doctor there. After which Splinter and the turtles were asked to stay while all others were excused.

"Splinter?" Ichi asked once the room was private again. "You have already started their training?" He asked and Splinter nodded.

"They could become great ninja, perhaps even greater than _us_." He explained, causing his sons to look at him with reverence.

"No doubt." Ichi agreed. "Than I will leave their guidance to _you_." He proclaimed and Splinter bowed to him in understanding.

"So now what?" Mikey asked when it sounded like the meeting was finally over.

"Now, my sons." Splinter stated. "Your _real _training begins."

* * *

For those who don't know, Jordon Perry was the Scientist from the second move, "Secret of the Ooze." He created the mutagen.

So in other words, I don't own him either. Lol

And in case it sounds like I have no idea what I'm talking about. Keep in mind that the closest I have ever come to visiting Japan is Google maps…lol

Reviews Please

(And kudos to anyone who can figure out how/why I chose the names for the elders.)


	2. Chapter 1

I decided to give you another chapter for being such good sports.

I do not own TMNT or the birthplace of Ninjutsu.

(But I think that should be pretty obvious. lol)

* * *

Chapter 1:

_(Leo's POV)_

"Where are we going?" I asked quietly, looking back as the castle started to disappear from view under the tree cover. After leaving Leatherhead and Scott – _Jordan_ behind to be sorted out by the people at the infirmary, Splinter had led us right back out the front gate and into the forest once again.

"You will see." He instructed before taking a random left into the tree line. My brother's and I just looked at each other questionably before hopping over the roots and shrubbery to catch up with him.

As we walked we noticed the remains of a few more cars, several marble signposts and even what looked to be a _cobblestone _road under our feet. It appeared that the old stone had held up well over time, much better than the concrete and steel of the city, proof that the only real thing that could withstand nature was _nature_.

"Here we are." Splinter announced a minute later, leading us off the path a short ways where he reached out to open the door of a building that had nearly been completely covered with vines.

However as we followed him we were somewhat surprised to find that the reach of the forest had been completely _denied_ access to the inside.

A short cherry-wood table sat calmly as the commander of an army of colorful pillows near the vicinity of the kitchen entrance on the left wall. Tatami mats moved softly under our feet as we examined the cozy little living area, where a couch and two armchairs somehow appeared uncluttered in their arrangement.

Shōji doors on either side of us made the area feel safe and comforting. We didn't fail to notice that some of the articulate woodwork and wall art featured _burn-marks_, but the particular way it had been cared for and placed around the house still gave the area a spiritual, somewhat _ancient_ texture.

"This place is cool." Mikey whispered in my ear, as if he were afraid of breaking the spell if he spoke too loudly.

"I'm glad you like it." Splinter proclaimed with a smile, causing us all to look at him again as he waved a hand around the room. "For this is your _home_."

…

We were coming up on our first month of living in Japan and my brothers and I were quickly adapting to the idea of a house that we could actually call our even had our own _rooms_. True it was just a bunch of shoji walls placed in certain places, but they were _ours_.

Though it would seem that we'd need a little more time to adjust to the idea of sleeping in separate bedrooms, so for now we just commandeered the biggest and set it up for four, which turned out pretty nice, 'if I do say so myself.' The bunk beds were certainly a nice touch.

It didn't take long for Splinter to start us on our _real _training either, which we learned _real_ quick was _nothing_ like before. Endless katas, breathing exercises, sparing, forms and tumbles took up most of the hours in our day; to the point that we were down right _sore_ after words.

But as the weeks progressed, we found we were growing accustomed to it. We got stronger by the day and learned more and more about the art of Ninjutsu. Priding ourselves on our accomplishments and learning to adjust for our short comings.

However one day we woke up to learn that there would be _no _training. At first we thought it was some kind of holiday, which we had heard about; but hadn't yet had the opportunity to celebrate. However it would seem that we were wrong.

"_Birthday_?" I asked, looking skeptically at the cake on the table that Splinter was currently setting on fire.

"Yes, my son." He stated as he lit the last of five candles and blew out the match.

It was then that Donnie started to read off a line from his mental dictionary in our old language and we quietly looked in his direction as he labeled for things about celebrations, rites of passage, and –

"_Gifts_!" Mikey repeated out loud, obviously not hearing the rest. "Where's mine, where's mine?" He asked jumping up and down excitedly.

"That's something I would like to talk to you about." Splinter stated motioning for us to sit at the table and we did. "Would you _all _like to celebrate on the same day or would you rather remain _separate_?"

In response to his words, we just looked at each other skeptically before looking back at him. "Sensei?" I asked and he turned to me. "I still don't get it." I admitted.

He sighed before reaching for my hand and turned it over to reveal the tattoo there. "This mark represents the _day_ you were born. And that day is _today_, my son." He explained.

"So I'm – _older_?" I asked.

"That's right."

"Does this mean we don't get presents?" Mikey asked, earning a smack upside the head from Raph.

"Leonardo?" Splinter asked noticing that I had become quite somber as I considered his words. I had never felt _different_ from my brother's before, this was weird.

"I – I don't know what to do." I admitted and he smiled at me.

"Would you prefer to celebrate on the same day?" He asked.

"I – don't know." I said again looking to my brothers for an answer. For the first time in a long time I felt _lost_.

Donnie clicked off with a smile that I didn't have to and Mikey quickly added a "Yeah," to the equation, hoping to encourage me to do something for myself for once. "We still get _our _birthdays right?" He continued to ask Splinter and he nodded. "See." My youngest brother proclaimed patting me on the shell. "It's _your _day, _Nisan_. You _earned_ it."

"Yeah." Raph groaned as if he couldn't care less, but when I looked at him I knew he agreed too.

"Okay." I said smiling at them before looking back at Splinter. "So what do I do now?" I added and he quietly pushed the cake across the table to sit in front of me.

"Blow out the candles my son, and don't forget to make a wish."

…

"Here." Mikey stated suddenly and I looked at him noticing that he was holding out his hands like he had a bug trapped between them.

"What?" I asked nervously backing away from him slightly. It wouldn't be the first time that he had caught a grasshopper and let it go right in my face, but before I had a chance to dread his answer he opened his hands to reveal – _a_ _rock_.

I was admittedly at kind of a loss, but he remedied that quickly. "It's my pet rock." He proclaimed as if this should explain everything. "You remember." He continued. "The one I got from America."

"Oh yeah." I stated remembering that simple little stone that April had drawn a face on as we escaped to New York a lifetime ago.

"I want you to have it." He said and I looked at him again.

"Why?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Well." He started a little nervously. "Because I didn't know I had to get you a present, and I don't have anything else so – I want you to have it." He insisted quickly lifting my hand to place the little rock in it.

"But Mikey –" I tried to argue.

"It's okay, I can make another one." He informed. "April showed me how."

Looking down at the stone in my hand I couldn't help but feel kind of bad. It may have been simple and the face was slightly crocked but it was _his_. He carried it with him everywhere as a constant remainder of April.

I looked back at him ready to argue the point further, but he gave me a stern look and placed his hands on his hips like he was getting ready to scold me. "I _don't_ need it anymore." He said emphasizing each word in a non-negotiable manner. "I _want_ you to have it." He added for good measure.

Realizing that I wasn't getting out of this, no matter how much I argued, I finally gave in and took the gift with a bow and a thank you.

A couple of minutes later I was still sitting at the table pushing the little stone around with my finger. I wasn't so sure that I _liked_ birthdays; they made me feel secluded, _different_. I didn't like feeling separated from my brothers.

Maybe once Raph was five too it would go away, that was only six days from now, then everything would be back to normal.

Until _next _year.

I sighed and face-planted into the table in annoyance of my mind's logical thinking.

"Leonardo?" I sat up immediately as Splinter knelt at the table across from me. "What bothers you, my son?" He asked.

I looked back at the little pebble on the table and pushed it around a bit more as I answered. "I know they're only trying to be nice, but I don't _like_ being different. I don't _want _special treatment.

I heard my father sigh dejectedly and I deflated slightly. "Do you know the story of the _world-turtle_?"

"No." I answered simply unsure where he was going with this.

"It is a belief that a giant _turtle_ carries the weight of the world on its shell." He explained physiologically. "And it is said that _when_ the turtle finally collapses, the world will end." He emphasized.

"_When_?" I repeated softly.

"That's right." He stated. "This myth teaches us that even the strongest of creatures can not bear the weight of the world _alone. _As all he will accomplish is to be _crushed_ under the world's weight."

I looked back at the rock on the table as I considered that.

"You remind me much of that turtle, Leonardo." He started again. "You are strong, noble and loyal. You wish for nothing but for others to be safe and happy, yet you feel _unworthy_ of the same happiness. Why _is_ that?" He asked watching me closely.

I pushed the pebble in another circle as he allowed me to think that over for a minute. "I don't know." I admitted. "Maybe because – I don't feel like I've _earned_ it."

I heard him let out a breath through his nose as he considered that, then stood up again. "Come with me." He stated and I quickly follow him, making sure to keep Mikey's pet rock clutched safely in my hand.

He led the way into his bedroom and lit a few candles as I waited respectfully at the door. He then moved on to the large cedar chest near his alter and began searching for something within.

He eventually pulled out a large wooden box and closed the lid of the trunk before moving to the middle of the room, where he gently motioned for me to enter and I walked up to watch him.

"My father gave me this when I was young." He explained pushing back one of the edges of the box to revel the hollow inner chamber. "It is one of the last things I still have of him. But I think it's time that I _passed_ _it on_."

"It's damaged." I said distractedly as I knelt on the other side and ran my hand gently over a spot on the box that turned out to be a _burn mark_.

"Yes." He agreed carefully rubbing another area that had been harmed by fire. "It happened the day I lost Tang Shen." I looked up at him as he said this to find a heartrending look decorating his eyes.

"What was she like?" I asked gently and he turned to give me a smile.

"Beautiful, kind and brave." He started simply. "She would have _loved _you four."

"I think we would have loved her too." I answered kindly as I turned to look at the picture of his old family that he placed next to his bed. "It also would have been interesting having a _sister_." I added before realizing that I was thinking out-loud and turned back to him in a panic. "I'm sorry Sensei, I didn't –"

"No, Leonardo. It is alright." He explained as he carefully extracted two wooden bowls from the box and he handed me one. "You may not have known them, but their loss weighs as heavily on you as it does me. I would never deny you the chance to _say_ as much."

I took that into consideration as he gently twisted the top off of his bowl to reveal a whole army of little white rocks. I quickly did the same with mine and discovered it was filled with _black_ ones.

"It's called _Go_." He explained setting his bowl down on the box and started places the stones within a large square grid that had been carved meticulously into the center of the board. "There are 181 black stones and 180 white. The goal of the game is to control _more_ territory than your opponent." He stated.

"But –" I started to ask somewhat confused; I was honored that he'd be willing to give me something that obviously meant so much to him, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do with it.

"It is alright." He said reading my thoughts. "I was about your age when my father first taught me and I did not know what to do either." He stated. "But that is a part of the gift, to _learn_."

I looked at him as I considered that and he smiled before continuing where he had left off. "The key is s_trategy_." He proclaimed. "Great leaders of history have played this game to master the art and I believe you are more than ready to _join_ them; Leonardo."

I looked at him slightly shocked and asked in a small voice. "Really?"

"Yes." He stated without pause and I smiled. "Now would you like to learn?" He asked kindly.

"Yeah." I answered immediately and he smiled again before walking me through the basics of the game.

…

By the time the sun was ready to set I still hadn't managed to beat him. But I wasn't complaining, I didn't want to win knowing that he had taken it easy on me and I think he knew that.

But I learned quickly that board games were very different from ninja training. I couldn't just _copy_ his moves, I had to physically _learn_. Each move of each game was different and required a different strategy that had to be mastered on the fly.

I don't think I'd ever had so much fun _losing_ before.

"That is enough, my son." Splinter said when I tried to hide a yawn behind my hand.

"I'm not tired." I insisted immediately to which he just gave me a look. "Okay, maybe a little." I resented with a small grin before helping him pack up the stones again.

However when I went to return the bowl to the box I was met with _another_ smaller container, curious, I pulled it out to examine it as I carefully replaced the bowl.

"What's this?" I asked as he stored his own peaces.

"It is Shogi." He said before carefully flipping the Go board over to reveal another grid on the other side, this one quite a bit bigger and rectangular. "You have played _chess_, correct?" He asked me.

"Yeah." I stated without looking at him as I examined the new board. "April brought us one before, me and Donnie –" I paused for a second before correcting myself. "Donnie and _I_ – use to play all the time, but it was _broken_ in the fight."

Splinter nodded in understanding of my little recollection of our life before he had come into it. "Shogi is _Japanese_ chess." He explained and I looked up at him. "It is another great strategy game played by many Generals, Captains and even _ninja_ throughout its existence."

"Can we play?" I asked immediately.

He laughed slightly and shook his head in disbelief. "_Tomorrow_, my son." He finally addressed and I couldn't help but deflate as I remembered that it was probably past my bed time. "You have _plenty _of time, Leonardo." He stated. "But even the great leaders of history required _rest_."

…

_(Raph's POV)_

I decided that 6 days was _way _too much time, ever since Leo's first birthday the week just seemed to crawl by at a snail's pace, as I waited for mine. Donnie didn't seem to care either way and Mikey became virtually unlivable when he realized that he would have to wait an entire _month _for his.

I groaned as I watched the sun inch toward the horizon, _one_ _more_ _day_, just one more night and I would be caught up with Leo again. 'Gah, this was torture, how did I ever survive this week in the past?'

'By not knowing about it, that's how.' A little voice in my head declared and I leaned back against Donnie's shell as I told it to shut up.

Donnie proceeded to tell me that I could go home if I didn't want to stay with him.

"That's not it." I told him truthfully before shaking myself out of my bad mood and sat next to him again. "Come on." I encouraged pointing at the book in his lap which displayed a bunch of colorful pictures of things with the names of them written underneath.

But Donnie only proclaimed discouragingly that he didn't think it was working and gently moved to close the children's book again. But I quickly put my hand in the page and took it from him.

"We just need to find you the right word." I insisted, flipping the pages looking for _anything_ that might encourage my brother to speak.

He started to say something else in our old language before I quickly interrupted him as I put the book back in his lap and pointed to the picture of a _turtle_. I had already tried this one countless times, but somehow I was convinced that it would be the one to snap him out of this.

He gave me a look, before opening his mouth to try it again. But just like all the other times he cringed when sound escaped and turned away from the book like it had caused him physical pain.

"Don't say that!" I yelled immediately when he proceeded to say a word I was really getting sick of hearing. "You _can_!" I insisted trying not to get mad at him. I didn't want to yell; it wasn't his fault, he just needed to work through this. It was just – what did he call it again? '_Posttraumatic stress disorder_,' yeah – all he needed was to jump that first hurtle and start speaking again then everything would be okay.

I _hope_.

I flipped through the pages roughly, taking a minute to recollect my thoughts, before I blew up at him unnecessarily. Pausing on one page in particular, I quickly closed the book again before he could see the word. I hadn't shown him that one yet, admittedly I was afraid that he would pick up on my growing fear if I tried to make him read it.

I _had_ to keep up his faith, even if mine was waning.

"We'll try again tomorrow." I told him before getting to my feet and pulled him up with me and he reminded me that '_tomorrow'_ was my '_birthday_.'

"Yeah and I would want nothing more than to hear you talk." I proclaimed, gently pushing him toward home. "Best birthday ever." I whispered absent-mindedly to myself.

…

I didn't think I'd ever fall asleep that night, but somehow I managed. Only to be woken up bright and early by Mikey crawling up mine and Leo's bunk bed to give me my birthday hug, which he had insisted yesterday I was going to receive, whether I liked it or not.

I pulled away at first but knew that the only way I would ever get him to let go was to reply, so I hugged him back.

He laughed childishly at the gesture before throwing his hands in the air and declared loudly. "Happy _hatch-_day." I just proceeded to give him a look as I twiddled a finger in my ear in response to the loud noise.

"Oh; you're no fun." He complained before turning to make his way back to the floor. I couldn't help but smile when Leo complained about being stepped on then got down as well.

…

My brothers went out of their way to make my day a good one. Allowing me to have the last of our favorite cereal, not annoying the hell out of me every five seconds and I even got first dibs on the bathroom that morning.

'Yep; life was good.'

Like Leo, I got a cake, but it was devil-food instead of vanilla. However Mikey blew out my candles _twice_ before Leo and Donnie finally wrestled him away and held a hand over his mouth while I made my wish.

Mikey gave me several more hugs throughout the day and a rock painted to look like a pizza for my present. I had to keep reminding myself that it was the thought that counted, but then my brothers and Splinter presented me with a _punching bag_ and my good day became a whole lot better.

I quickly found that I liked the thing and Splinter even let us hang it up in one of the spare rooms, the one that would probably end up being _mine_ in the future.

Once it was attached securely to the ceiling I punched the stuffing (or _sand_) out of it for almost an hour, enjoying the feel of my fists hitting something that could take the punishment.

Pretending to duck a blow I ended up rounding the bag and spotted Donnie standing in the doorway.

"Hey." I said stopping the bag from swinging. "How long have you been there?" I asked slightly winded. 'Come to think of it, how long had _I_ been here?'

His response was simple and precise as he walked up to place a hand on the bag, asking me if I liked it with a smile.

I just gently hit the bag into him in response and smiled back. It was then that I noticed he had his other hand behind his back and moved around trying to see what he was hiding. "What's ya got?"

He just laughed before holding out a little cardboard box which was barely big enough to hold a stack of cards. Excited I opened the thing in a hurry only to find a simple piece of paper folded at the bottom. Watching him skeptically now, I uncurled it and almost stopped breathing when I realized that it was the page from his reading book. The one I had been so afraid to show him.

That stupid little picture of two boys, one big, one small, wearing identical shirts and hairstyles as the older placed his arm around the younger, featuring the word '_brothers_' underneath.

How had he seen it? How had he known? Had I just ruined everything?

But before I could go into an all out panic-attack, he put his hand on my arm and made me look at him, he then took several really deep breathes; steeling him for something and _said_ –

"_Brother_."

At first I was so shocked I couldn't do anything but stare at him, but as always he understood and waited patently for my response, which was only to drop the box in my hands and throw my arms around him in probably one of the biggest hugs I had ever given in my life.

He obviously hadn't been expecting that as we both quickly found ourselves on the floor, but I didn't care. The fear, the worry, there was no need for any of that anymore. I had done it, after all these months I had finally brought my brother's voice back.

'_Best birthday ever_.'

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Mikey landed on my bed the next morning and proceeded to crush the air from my lungs with a bear hug.

"Happy hatch-day." He yelled loudly and I winced, why he had decided to call it that I'll never know.

Before I had managed to do anything more than sit up he had raced to the other side of the room and returned with luggage.

"Here." He proclaimed holding out a poorly wrapped little box and I smiled before taking it and sat down on the edge on my bed; giving him enough room to curl up against my side as he watched and waited for me to open it.

I looked around as Leo too moved to sit up as well and Raph leaned down from the other top bunk to watch. He still had that big grin on his face, which I don't think he'd lost since I gave him his _gift _yesterday.

Turned out I was worried for nothing, true my voice was still small and somewhat pained from underuse, but it got louder and easier the more I spoke.

I pulled away when my little brother pinched my arm and brought my attention back to the present in my hands. I couldn't help but smile as he whined and complained while I _slowly_ pulled the colorful washi paper off, one sheet at a time.

Finally deciding that I had tortured him enough I just opened the box and looked inside.

"A map?" I whispered softly giving him a skeptical look.

"Yep." He answered getting excited again. "We set it up." He stated encompassing Leo and Raph in the statement as well.

"Splinter helped too." Raph proclaimed.

"It was actually _his_ idea." Leo admitted earning a couple of glares from our two other brothers.

"I don't get it." I stated having to cough a little when I spoke too loudly.

"You will." Mikey proclaimed grabbing the map and started pulling me from the room.

Splinter insisted that we eat breakfast first before starting the _scavenger _hunt and I wasn't about to complain. I was rather hungry and I didn't want to be out all day doing who-knows-what without some food in my stomach.

After informing us that we were to be home before dark our father allowed us out into the world, at which time Mikey immediately started bugging me about the map again, but thankfully Leo and Raph made a point of keeping him under control so I could figure it out without him telling me.

I had to turn it a few times before deciding which way was up, but I eventually figured that the crudely drawn square was supposed to be the castle. I then mapped out the area with the X and learned that my destination was the garden.

Once we got there the paper informed me that I needed to locate a tree that looked like an umbrella which could only have been the globe willow in the corner and I quickly ran off to find my prize, which turned out to be a fancy new _tool case_.

"Wow." I cooed kneeling down to examine it. I had no idea where they had managed to find something like that but I wasn't complaining. "Thanks guys." I said excitedly.

"It's not over yet." Raph proclaimed opening the box to show me that it was completely _empty_, all except for a simple piece of paper displaying another map and another location.

…

By the end of the day we had covered nearly every square inch of the complex, filling my new box with wrenches of three varieties, pliers of two, a hammer, tape measurer, scissors, razor blade, a little saw and a whole set of allen-wrenches.

I now realized just _why _Raph had been dragging me away from the house to work on my speaking for most of the week; it was so everyone else could work on this without me knowing about it.

I saw the elders smile slightly in their meditation as we snuck past them to the classroom where my last prize resided and a few minutes later I had a shinny new set of screw drivers, both big and small to add to my collection as well.

…

I bowed respectfully toward Splinter who was reading in the living room as I walked in the front door several days later before moving on to our room.

Checking around the doorway cautiously incase Raph didn't want to be disturbed,I raised an eye ridge at the empty space and focused a little more on his location before moving to the room next door.

I _heard_ him before I saw him and I casually snuck a peek inside to find him sitting in the middle of his _future_ room, messing with something that seemed to be causing him a great deal of stress.

"Come on." I heard him grumble under his breathe. "You stupid thing."

Curious now; I made my way into the room and quietly approached, trying to look over his shell and make out what he was doing.

"Why won't you _work_?" He asked the object in his hands furiously, causing my inner desire to help a brother in need rise to attention.

"Do you need help?" I asked softly and he let out a little yelp as he freaked and turning around wildly to see who I was. "Sorry." I told him backing up a step to give him some space.

He took a breath before hiding whatever was in his hands behind his back. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here." I stated truthfully but decided to revise that when he glared at me. "We were going to go to the sundial, remember?" I explained.

"Oh yeah." He stated absent-mindedly, turning his shell to me again to hide the object in his hands. "I'll be right there." He answered though he was clearly focused on something else.

"Do you need any help?" I asked again.

"No, you go ahead." He proclaimed sourly.

"What are you doing?" I asked sitting down behind him.

"Nothing Donnie, go away." He complained, but I didn't take the rejection personally, it sounded more like he was cursing out the object again rather than me.

"Let me help." I begged.

"NO!" He suddenly yelled and threw the thing he was holding at the wall across the room. "I can _do_ _it_!" He insisted and I couldn't help but flinch away from the sudden outburst which he noticed immediately and was quickly calm once more.

"Donnie." He said shocked by his own anger. "I – I'm sorry – I didn't –"

"It's ok." I quickly assured him standing up to place a hand on his shoulder. "I should have just left you alone." I remedied but he obviously didn't appreciate me taking the blame for his mistake.

"No!" He insisted. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry." He added looking at the object he had thrown solemnly. "I just –" He tried again but couldn't seem to find the right words.

"Do you want my help?" I asked quietly letting him know that if he refused this time I would leave it at that.

"I – I wanted to be able to do it." He admitted sadly.

I could tell it wasn't a refusal but it wasn't quite an acceptance either, so I continued. "Everyone needs help sometime, Raph." I quoted. "Just let me see."

He took a deep breathe before getting up to retrieve the thing again, allowing me to follow and I watched closely as he continued to study it for another second before finally turning around to show me.

It was just a simple little pad lock, but it featured an attachment that consisted of a _pick_ that had been jammed into its key hole so hard that it didn't want to come back out.

Somehow I just _knew_ where this was going but didn't state my inquiry just yet as I took the lock from his hands and studied it. "Where did you get this?" I asked gently, indicating the lock pick.

"Casey." He responded simply walking over to the little dresser in the corner and pulled a little leather object from the first drawer to show me.

I carefully untied the strings holding it closed and uncurled the wrap to revile a whole _assortment_ of little lock-picks. "Cool." I stated excitedly and looking back at him I could tell he had thought so too. _At one time_.

"What's the matter?" I asked quickly.

"He showed me how to use them." He admitted. "It looked so _easy_. But –"

"It's not." I finished for him knowing all too well the difficulties of the art. "Raph?" I asked touching his arm again when he didn't respond.

"I wanted to learn." He proclaimed and for a second I honestly thought he might actually start crying.

I decided to try another approach. "Why?" I made it clear that I wasn't making fun; I just wanted to know why this meant so much to him so I could better understand his reasoning.

"What if you hadn't gotten that cage open?" He asked sadly not daring to look at me. "What if you were _caught_?" A part of me had been _expecting _that response but it still hurt to hear that this continued to bother him so much.

"But I _did_ and I _wasn't_." I informed him.

"And I want that to _keep_ happening." He insisted and I blinked at his suddenly stern voice. "That's why I asked for the picks, I wanted to learn how to do it too, in case the next time it was _you _in the cage."

I admit I was somewhat surprised by that, I knew he harbored a deep need to _repay_ me for the night we escaped, but I hadn't realized just how far he had taken it.

"But –" He started again looking at the floor sadly. "It's _not_ working." He admitted. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I – I can't do it."

"_Can't_?" I stated giving him a look. "I thought I wasn't allowed to say that anymore?"

"You're not." He insisted immediately. "But that isn't what I meant, you –" He started again but sighed and rubbed his head obviously at a loss.

I smiled as I realized a solution to the problem. "How about we learn _together_?" I asked and he looked at me quizzically.

"But you _already_ know how."

"I got _lucky_." I told him with a laugh earning a surprised look this time. "I had no idea what I was doing and I _still_ don't." I explained solemnly, reaching into my shirt to gently remove the two little pieces of steel wire that I had managed to salvage from that night.

"You _kept_ that?" He asked in shock.

"Of course I did." I muttered putting the paper clip back in its spot. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not really the _sentimental_ type, but –" I started before switched gears again. "I dwelled on it for _months_, Raph." I admitted. "I had the recourses, I had the knowledge, but what if I hadn't put them together in time? What could have happened to us because _I_ wasn't good enough?"

He was about to tell me off for my negative thinking but I quickly interrupted him. "I don't _want_ that to happen either, I want to learn, I want to be ready, so next time I don't have to worry that I may not be good enough. I want to _know _without a _doubt_ that I can get us out."

He opened his mouth a few times as he took that in then smiled and threw his arm around my shoulder. "Alright little brother." He proclaimed. "I'll teach you."

"_You'll _teach me?" I stated questionably giving him a dry look.

"Yeah." He stated as though he were the most humble being on the planet. "I _am_ the big brother here; it's like – _my_ _civic_ _duty_."

"Have you been reading Mikey's comic books again?" I joked; leaning away from him slightly like I feared he might be contagious, but the only answer I received was for him to put me in a head lock and wrestle me to the floor in the show of _Raph-like_ bonding.

…

_(Mikey's POV)_

"Mikey." One of the squirrels in my dream suddenly said and I looked at it amazingly. "Mikey."

'Wow this squirrel sounds just like Donnie.' I thought to myself absent-mindedly.

"MIKEY!" I jumped out of my dream and nearly fell off my bed as all three of my brothers suddenly yelled into my ear at the same time.

"What?" I yelled back at them, but before I could say anything else they all screamed.

"Happy hatch-day!"

It took me a minute to put the pieces together, but once I did the result was instant. I immediately jumped out off my bed knowing they would catch me and started handing out the bear hugs which landed us on the floor in a pile of limbs.

I laughed as they complained and groaned then quickly got up to let them stand again. "So where's my present?" I asked immediately causing them to all look at each other in shock.

"I _knew_ we forgot something." Donnie proclaimed as though it was no big deal.

"WHAT?"

"We're kidding, Mikey." Leo laughed placing his arm around my shoulders.

"You better be." I grouched. "So where's my present?" I asked again before they could forget my previous request.

"I told you." Raph stated toward Leo folding his arms over his plastron. "You know he's gonna be a nuisance until he gets his way, right."

"Better believe it." I answered giving them a look and was about to ask my question again when Leo put his hand over my mouth.

"You'll get them." He said quickly.

"_Them_?" I repeated immediately excited.

"Way da go, bro." Raph berated sourly as my oldest brother rubbed his temple in annoyance.

"My sons." We all looked around as Splinter appeared on the doorway. "Breakfast is ready."

"Great." Leo proclaimed quickly turning me around and pushed me out the door. If he thought _food_ would be enough to make me forget about possible presents he had another thing coming.

"_Pizza_!" I screamed noticing what awaited me at the table and raced up to the cheesy wheel of joy.

"There is enough for everyone to have _two _slices." Splinter explained as my brothers quickly joined me trying to insure there own piece of the pie.

In the end I was able to convince Leo and Donnie (with a little help from my famous puppy-dog eyes) to give me their second slice and Raph even surrendered the _crust_ from his.

"So where's my presents?" I asked again making sure to put an S on the end this time and they all immediately groaned as Splinter laughed lightly and got up to place his plate in the sink before heading to his room.

"Mikey, if you ask that _one_ more time –" Raph declared shaking his fist at me from across the table.

"But you can't beat-up the birthday kid on his birthday." I stated confidently placing my elbows on the table so I could give him that _look_ he always found so annoying.

"Says _who_?" He growled.

I was about to answer when Donnie spoke up around his glass of milk. "Actually, in some cultures it's _traditional_ to give the birthday kid _spankings_." He muttered as if speaking of the weather but I clearly saw the _evil_ look out of the corner of his eye and I whined as Leo and Raph turned to me with identical evil grins.

"Now wait a minute." I argued. "That's not fair, you guys didn't get spankings."

"Your case has been heard but rendered void on that fact that we can't change the past." Leo declared before suddenly jumping at me from across the table. I only just managed to leap out-of-the-way but then Raph came barreling at me from the left and I dodged again, only to fall into Don who immediately trapped me in his arms.

"Donnie!" I whined trying desperately to appeal to his big brother protective nature.

"Sorry Mike." He stated as Raph and Leo came up to help him hold me. "But you've had this coming for a _long _time."

"So how many does he get?" Raph asked as they flipped me over and held me down on the floor.

"One for every year." Donnie answered. "So; _five_."

"No!" I screamed so loudly that birds in England probably flew from their roosts. "Guys! This isn't fair!" I cried kicking my legs wildly.

"Should have thought of that before making yourself such a nuisance." Leo proclaimed wisely and I gave him a glare but was interrupted before I could tell him off, when Raph started hitting me across the backside.

"Ow!" I screamed at them struggling even harder. It actually didn't really hurt as my shell protected that sensitive area, but I get the feeling it was probably the _embarrassment_ that was supposed to be received in this case.

"Don't – be – such a – _baby_!" Raph stated smacking me again with every word and added one more for good measure. When they finally let me up again I quickly raced to a corner and hid in the shadow where I proceeded to glare at them as they laughed.

"Come on, Mikey." Donnie stated around his giggles trying to get me to come out.

"It's not funny." I pouted swatting at his hand childishly.

"Oh _yes_ it was." Raph insisted with a grin as he basked in the glory a little longer.

"You guys should get them too." I accused.

"But it's not our birthdays anymore." Leo disputed with a grin.

"That's not _fair_!" I fumed purposely holding my behind protectively as I pouted.

"He's got a point." Donnie muttered toward Leo; flooding his arms across his plastron in thought.

"Maybe you're right." Leo agreed. "We should even the score." Before I even had time to register that two of my siblings were now on _my_ side; they had charged our remaining brother and flattened him into the ground.

"Hey!" Raph bellowed as he tried to get up; but being on his shell made that kind of difficult, however that had probably been the whole point.

Leo and Donnie then proceeded to analyze the situation and realized that Raph wasn't facing the right way to receive his spankings.

"Leo, I'm beginning to think we should have thought this through a _little _more." Donnie stated still struggling to hold down his slightly older brother.

"Same here." Leo agreed.

"No worries, I got this" I proclaimed jumping into the fray with a laugh and proceeded to sit on my trapped brother where I quickly started to _tickle_ that sensitive area around the bridge of his shell.

"Stop it!" He screamed several times around his laughter still trying to push us off. Since I wasn't sure how to measure tickles compared to spanks I decided to let up after only a minute or so, but even by then we had all been reduced to a mushy, giggling mess.

"Feel better?" Donnie asked me as he clutched his chest in slight pain from laughing so hard.

"Much." I answered immediately.

It was then that we heard another laugh mixed in with our own and looked around to find Splinter sitting at the table watching us with a great level of amusement.

"Hey Sensei." Leo tried to be respectful with his words, but he was still trying to control his giggles as he helped Raphael to his feet; who looked like he was considering just murdering us all.

"Michelangelo." Splinter stated after a minute and I looked around to see him push a large brightly wrapped package across the table to my seat and all other thoughts fled my mind as I raced to open my present.

I almost felt bad for ripping the beautifully colored paper but Splinter assured me that it could be recycled, so I promptly dug into it with a passion and discovered a brand new, still in the package, _skateboard_.

"Wow!" I proclaimed touching the skid-proof lining through the made-in hole of the box. "Where?" Was all I could say as I looked back up at Splinter.

"Many stores in the area where abandoned quickly, leaving much of their supplies behind to those that could locate them first." He explained and suddenly everything made since. Donnie's tool kit, Raph's punching bag. They had all been _brand new_.

"Cool." I stated simply looking back at the board before trying to get into the thing. It took me about 5 minutes of fighting tooth and nail against the stupid child proof packaging before Donnie saved the day with his tool kit and promptly cut it open with the scissors.

He then helped me _assemble _it, which consisted of only putting the wheels on, but I was still glad he was there to help. I didn't want anything to go wrong and Donnie was the best person for the job.

When he was finished he handed the now complete board back to me as Leo proceeded to discover several sheets of stick-on designs that could be used to cover the bottom. I then spent nearly the entire day choosing which ones to use and where I wanted to put them, but eventually I was satisfied.

By then we only had a couple of hours 'til sunset but Splinter allowed us to go outside and try it, but only once I had been introduced to my _second _present, a _helmet_.

I allowed each of my brothers a chance to try their luck on the board, deciding to just share the hard-hat and use our ninja gear for everything else. Unfortunately none of us were really all that good, even Leo, as we had never really seen it done before, but I looked forward to _learning _and mastering the art.

When Splinter called us in for the night, Raph met me at the door and threw his arm around my shoulders before whispering something in my ear and pointed toward Leo and Donnie and I couldn't help but grin evilly as I watched my brothers walk away, completely oblivious to the _revenge_ that was about to be brought down upon them.

* * *

I just love the brotherly bond between Raph and Donnie. There's not nearly enough of it in the shows or movies.

R&amp;R

Please


	3. Chapter 2

I'd like to congratulate 'Link–Senpai' for being the first to figure out the secret behind the elder's names!

In Japanese Ichi means 1, San is 3, Roku is 6, Shichi is 7 and Jyu is 10. Now if you remember; the turtles were once called 2, 5, 8 and 9, which leaves _Splinter _as the _4__th_elder. However he wouldn't be called by that name because in Japan; 4 sounds like the word for _death _and is sometimes considered a _cursed_ number.

Keep up the great work Link–Senpai, I applaud you.

* * *

Chapter 2:

_ I couldn't remember how long I had been there or how long I would remain. Minutes, hours, days, all of them felt longer in this place. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was _alone_._

_ My senses betrayed me; I spent lifetimes searching the darkness, _feeling_ for another body, another presence, anything I could touch, anything that might prove that I was real. But nothing ever presented itself._

_ The only sound was the deafening scream of silence, working its way into the core of my mind, like an invading substance that thrived on fear. Darkness was only other constant presence other than my own yet it refused to be seen, instead staying at a distance and watched from just beyond my reach._

_ Though I tried desperately to will it away the pressure of loneliness descended from all sides, growing along with my fear and isolation, becoming bigger, louder, _stronger_._

_ I couldn't fight it the only thing I could do was retreat but soon even that proved useless. When there remained no other place to run too that the seclusion couldn't find me, I _broke_ and that's when I found solace. _

_ My senses failed, my mind fell and all that remained was the dark._

_ A different darkness from before this one was not a presence but a blanket. It hid and protected me from the outside world, a world I could no longer face. It became a companion the only one I had. It comforted without comfort, attended without audience and provided without form._

_ It protected me from the beyond. Even as the world finally changed and the creatures who had locked me in this prison returned. Then the pain return, after so long without touch it was almost welcomed and I didn't turn it away, even when the darkness became all there was and I became lost in its grip._

_I dreaded it when the light returned I wanted to remain in the everlasting darkness, away from the pain, away from the suffering, away from the loneliness. So when the dark returned to my mind, I willingly jumped back into its embrace and the lifetime began again._

_ Movement? Other than my own? Breathing? Other than mine?_ _A _creature_ like me? _

_ Where had it come from? How was it here? Was it real? Yes. I could see it, I could touch it. It was solid, it was real. Did that mean _I _was too?_

_ He offered comfort and gave me the chance to return it; he gave me hope where there had been none, he provided me with life when before there had been only death, he gave me something to touch, something to love, someone to protect._

_ The lifetime began again, this one far better than the last; everything from the old was cast out, forgotten, accept the darkness. It stayed near my thoughts always in my mind, ready to welcome me back into its shadows should I ever need it again._

…

Year 2 – Age 6

_(Leo's POV)_

I was jerked violently from the nightmare and immediately grabbed for my brother's arms, sighing in relief when he held me back.

"You ok?" Raph whispered to me trying not to wake our younger siblings.

I tried to answer to assure him that everything was fine but I couldn't find my voice. It had been a _long_ time since I had; had that dream, I thought I was over it but I guess I was wrong.

In a rare show of comfort Raph rubbed my shell trying to help me through it, knowing that all I needed was to know he was there and after several minutes, I could finally say with confidence that the fear was gone, for now.

"Maybe you should tell Splinter." Raph suggested not even needing to be told what the problem was. "I'm sure he'd let you wait."

"That has nothing to do with it, Raph." I proclaimed stubbornly. Today was my 6th birthday the day I would start my _ninja_ training, I had been waiting, preparing for it, but now I wasn't sure what I had been preparing for.

I thought I was pushing myself to be the best that I could be so I would be ready, but now I was beginning to think that; that had only been a method to distract myself from the fact that I would be leaving my brothers behind.

"Than why are you having those dreams again?" Raph asked quietly interrupting my thoughts and I looked up slightly to see the glow of his eyes as the nano-bots in his system adjusted for the darkness.

"It was only one." I pointed out.

"Yeah, and you'd have probably had them all week if you ever let yourself _sleep_." He proclaimed grumpily.

"I'm fine." I stated as loudly as I dared.

We stared each other down for a minute before he finally gave in. "Whatever." He muttered and quickly made his way back to the bed above mine. I watched him go suddenly feeling empty and cold but I didn't move to stop him, as a part of me was unwilling to admit that I missed his presence.

A few minutes later I heard him sigh then the bed creaked again as he made his way back down to the floor. I watched him as he padded over to the door and took something off the wall, before coming to sit on my bed again.

I eyed him skeptically as he pulled the cap off a magic marker with his teeth and then proceeded to scribble out one of the days on the calendar.

"Hey!" I argued trying to stop him, but he easily held me at bay while he worked, not giving up until he had completely blacked out the 2nd of June and threw the calendar into my lap.

"There!" He proclaimed pushing the lid back onto the pen with more force than was probably necessary.

"Why did you do that?" I asked looking at the now ruined calendar.

"So you'd stop _worrying_." He answered. "The day is gone now, _doesn't_ _exist_. You don't need to dwell on it anymore."

"Just because you crossed it out doesn't mean it doesn't exist." I explained giving him a disapproving look.

"Come on 2, work with me here. Use your imagination." He berated taping his fist against my head causing me to swat at his hand, though I didn't miss the fact that had called me by my original _name_. "Now say it with me." He ordered. "The day is _gone_."

"Raph –"

"Say it!" He growled threatening to punch me.

I sighed again feeling rather stupid but did as I was told. "The day is gone."

"It doesn't exist." He continued.

"It doesn't exist." I repeated again.

"So Leo can stop being a suck-up, teacher's pet, Splinter junior wannabe."

"Hey!"

"What?" He asked as if I had no place to argue.

"I –" I stated to defend myself before something else took over and I suddenly couldn't stop myself from speaking it aloud. "I'm – _scared_."

"Why?" Raph asked as gently as he could.

"I don't know." I admitted pulling my knees up to bury my face in them.

"Gah." He muttered under his breath. "Why do you always have to be so damn _complicated_?"

"You know father doesn't like it when you swear." I muttered into my legs.

"Father isn't here." He defended leaning back on his hands and I felt him watching me for a couple of minutes before he sighed again. "Why don't you just _wait_?"

"You wouldn't think any less of me for it?" I asked my knees.

"Don't be stupid." He insisted smacking me upside the head and I turned slightly so I could look at him. "Six days isn't that long; then I could go with you." He started again. "Or _seven_ and even Donnie could come."

"What about Mikey?" I asked.

"I think we've earned a _vacation_, don't you?" He asked half-heartedly with no real meaning behind his words, but I still gave him a look and he sighed again. "Alright." He grumbled. "An extra _month_."

"We'd be left behind." I muttered.

"Big deal." He announced. "We'd catch up. Splinter says we're already ahead in our training anyway."

I sighed loudly as I considered that. "I don't want to let you guys down." I finally said earning another hit to the head, this one quite a bit harder than the last. "Ow." I whined turning to glare at him as I rubbed the offended area.

I was surprised to see that he was glaring right back at me, but this wasn't his usual playful or scolding glare. It was his 'I'm _angry_ and about to kick your ass' glare. "Stop saying that." He demanded sternly. "You're not going to let us down; you could _never _let us down."

I smiled slightly at that. "So you _do_ listen when Splinter talks. I thought you just slept with your eyes open." I barely had a second to register the look on his face before he charged me.

"Raph!" I argued as he wrestled me into the mattress until I could no longer move. "You're going to wake up Donnie." I wasn't worried at all about our youngest brother; that turtle could sleep through a _war_ if we let him.

"Take it back." He threatened.

"What? I didn't mean anything by it." I argued. "It was just a joke."

"Not _that_." He said pushing my face into the pillow.

"Than what?"

"That you would let us down." He whispered into my ear _sadly_ and I froze. "You think we don't know?" He asked quietly and I turned my head to look at him. "You think we don't _care_? We _know_ Shedder's out there that's why _we're_ training _too_. So we'll be _ready_." He proclaimed angrily.

"You don't have to take the weight, _nisan_. You can _share_ it. With _us_." He said softly before letting up on his hold slightly and continued. "We don't want you to fight that battle alone; we want to be right there _with_ you." I couldn't bring myself to even move as he finally let me go and returned to his own bed without another word.

…

I don't think either of us slept the rest of the night but the silence let me consider my brother's words. Admittedly I would have expected such a speech from Donnie, maybe even Mikey on a good day but never Raph, which made it even _harder_ to understand.

Yet at the same time I don't think I would have gotten the point had any of my other brothers tried to run it home, as it was more the _shock _of hearing those words that had made me focus on them and consider their meaning.

Maybe I _was_ being too hard on myself; I focused on my training more and more every day, not because I wanted to be the best but because I wanted to protect the people I cared about.

I wouldn't go back; I _couldn't_ be alone again, the silence was too much I couldn't take it. The idea that I might one day be the _last one_ standing paralyzed me to my very soul; I would _die _before I let my brothers walk into a situation that they might not walk out of.

Before now I had always thought that I was the only one that harbored these feelings, but after listening to Raph I had to face the fact that maybe I was wrong. That maybe _he_ was scared too.

That certainly explained why he was always so overprotective and probably even why he always second-guessed my orders, because he was _afraid_. Afraid I would go in by myself and not come back. The very thought of loosing _any_ of us terrified him to his core and he was willing to _beat me_ into submission before letting me go it alone.

I looked up as the first rays of sunlight crept through the window and sighed. After a minute Donnie started moving and I turned to see him get out of bed, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes before smiling at me and I knew immediately that he had heard everything.

Then I saw it again.

That same look that had been in Raph's eyes last night, that powerful desire to help and protect. Donnie too could not bear the idea of a life without us and he would do _anything_ to stop it.

After only a second of looking into each other's eyes he turned and walked to the door without a word, leaving to start his morning ritual. When he was gone I casually looked to the top bunk of the bed he had just vacated and found Mikey flung across the mattress in full-on sleep-mode.

I couldn't help but smile at my littlest brother's antics, no matter how old we got Mikey never changed. He was always the internal child, the innocent baby brother, not a care in the world.

Or _was _he?

It hit me hard then and I frowned. If Raph and Donnie harbored the same feelings I did why would _Mikey_ be any different? The thought almost scared me but I knew it was true, in fact of all my brother's Mikey was probably the_ most likely _to feel the same way, because he had felt the loneliness too.

I sighed again before burying my face in my pillow, all this time; even when the proof was shoved right in my face I still thought, _hoped_ that I had been the only one. How could I have been so stupid?

I felt the bed move again and looked around slightly as Raph jumped to the floor. For the most part his beginner training had paid off and he was relatively silent, but I still heard the slightest of creaks from the floorboards taking his weight.

He stretched and popped his neck and shoulders, a habit he had when he was trying to think up his next move, but after only a minute he sighed and reached down to pick up something from the floor before finally turning around to look at me.

With a quick flick of his wrist he threw the calendar at my head and instinctively sat up to catch it before I received a face-full of laminated paper and looked back up to find him grinning at me.

"Happy hatch-day, _oniisan_." He declared before stretching his arms over his head and meandered from the room, just as Mikey starting to rise in response to the smell of food in the kitchen.

Looking back down at the date book in my hands I found the once flawless page of June now had a gaping black square where my birthday used to be. For months I had almost _dreaded _the moment this day arrived but now something was different.

_"The day is gone, it doesn't exist."_ My brother's words roiled like an endless reel through my mind, leveling all my worry and pain leaving nothing behind but the childish nostalgia of someone who expected the sun to rise without fail.

"It doesn't exist." I whispered to the little black square and couldn't help but smile as I felt somewhat _lighter_. Well I couldn't _promise_ anything but I would at least _try_.

"Alright Raph." I said to myself as I stood up and returned the calendar to the wall, before smiling again and ventured out to face the _non-existent_ 2nd of June "We'll do it your way."

…

_Oniisan_ _~ Big Brother_

…

_(Raph's POV)_

In the end Leodecided to wait after all and just like I had told him would happen; no one questioned him for it, not even Splinter. Everyone understood that all he needed was just a little more time. Mine and Donnie's birthdays – 'my bad,' – _hatchdays_ came and went with no significant outcome, except that we too decided to wait but that wasn't really surprising.

Then came Mikey's and the anxiety started up again.

We decided to celebrate our youngest brother's hatchday the day before, since we were to start our ninja training on the 5th and god-forbid we forego on another chance to give Mikey his birthday spankings. That was just too good to miss.

But even then we still couldn't really focus, not even Mikey, we were all just too excited for the next day.

I found Donnie sitting in a corner watching the floor in thought more than once and had to drag him back outside before he wasted the whole day thinking about what was to come.

Mikey was even more of a nuisance than before, (if that was even possible,) I don't think he stopped moving once the entire day and we actually had to short-sheet him into his bed so he would sleep that night.

Even Leo; the master of hiding his emotions was more jumpy than usual. Several times I caught him snapping his fingers or rubbing his hands together before noticing that I was watching him and stopped.

We also realized that we were driving our father more than a little crazy; as he suddenly informed us that we were all going for a walk, with no say in the matter, so we quickly retreated from the house before he could make us do flips for the rest of the century and walked around the complex for a while.

We lounged in some trees and played hide-&amp;-seek in the woods until the sun finally started to set and returned home again, where Splinter yelled at us through the wall more than once during the night to get back in bed, but we couldn't sleep.

We were just too excited, but we had to at least _try_ or else risk a disaster the next day. So we ended up pulling Donnie and Leo's mattresses from the beds and arranged them in the middle of the room before curling up in a big pile of turtles like when we were little.

The affect was almost instant.

Splinter had to nearly carry us to the table for breakfast the next morning, but we eventually woke up and started getting jumpy again, then he called us to the door and we immediately answered.

In perfect formation we stood at attention in front of him and awaited his words. I had honestly expected a speech or reassurance or something, but he only proceeded to smile proudly at us and say one thing.

"You're ready."

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

Splinter had already informed us to be prepared for our first day, as it would be by far the _hardest_ thing we had ever done, apparently our very souls would be tested in an ordeal that would push us to the brink and back, determining if we were _worthy _to carry the title of ninja.

What I had not expected however was to be down right _bored_.

The closest thing to a _test_ we'd been given was a piece of paper with seven questions which were apparently designed to muddle out our strengths and weaknesses, then afterward we'd been left alone to watch the grass grow for the next _three hours_.

Mikey fell asleep some time around the 3rd minute, while Raph was currently leaning backward in his chair folding paper airplanes. I rested me chin on my hands trying to stay alert but was kind of failing, while Leo just continued to _stand_ straight as a board watching and waiting for anything to happen.

"Teacher's pet." Raph whispered toward him as he lounged his chair back on two legs and sent an airplane floating into the back of his shell.

"Well isn' this _cozy_." A voice proclaimed suddenly from behind us.

I nearly fell out of my chair trying to turn around at top speed to asses the threat. Leo was obviously quite surprised but still alert and ready for anything. Raph came dangerously close to falling over backwards while Mikey just looked up causally to see what the commotion was all about.

Of course after a second he finally turned around to look and actually jumped onto his desk in shock.

Elder Roku smiled at us from his crouched position near the floor, watching us with level eyes that showed he had been there for quite a while. Looking around I found Elder Ichi standing nearby as well with his hands behind his back and none other than _Splinter_ himself standing next to him.

"Sensei?" Leo asked him in confusion but he held up a hand to let us know to stay quite.

"What say you, Roku-san?" Our father asked a minute later when the bear mutant rose to his full height.

"I don' know, Splinter." He stated disbelievingly. "They're not all _that_ impressive, I don' see why everyone's so _astounded_."

"Hey!" Raph growled at him and Leo and I quickly tried to round up his anger before he could get us in trouble.

But we were beat to the punch when Roku _looked_ at him and he shut up almost immediately. The bear continued to glare at my brother for a second before meandering up to us and stared down at him threateningly. "Ya got somin ta say, _kame_?" He asked in a booming voice.

Raph tried to speak but he couldn't find his voice; leaving Roku to smirk in amusement and gave a little short snort before saying. "I thought not." Before turning back around and walking away. "As I said, _unimpressive_."

'_Uh_ _oh_.'

Before we could stop him Raph had charged the older mutant intending to take him down and make him eat his words. But his fist never met the target as Roku had grabbed his arm causally in mid strike.

Too shocked to react Raph couldn't adjust in time to avoid being tripped up and hit the floor with a loud thud where Roku promptly put a foot on his plastron keeping him pined down.

Thankfully I could tell he wasn't hurt but Roku had every intention of proving that _he_ was in the 'position of power' in this situation.

Raph struggled and struggled to push the older mutant off but he just wasn't strong enough and the whole time the bear mutant just continued to watch him like he was nothing more than a small bug he happened to find entertaining.

"This ones got _spunk_." He admitted after a minute before a green blur suddenly jumped on his back.

Leo clung to the bear like he intended to tear him apart with his bare hands while Mikey and I charged the foot keeping our brother captive, but even pushing with all our might the older mutant would _not_ budge.

After another minute of this, during which Raph informed Leo that his _plan_ wasn't working, (like we didn't already know that,) Roku randomly lifted his foot and stood back.

I quickly helped Raph to his feet again checking to make sure he wasn't injured, while Mikey prepared to help Leo if he needed it, but he didn't seem to as he was able to jump back to the floor without issue and quickly positioned himself in front of the group and glared at the bear with all the fire of a sun.

And then Roku started to _laugh_.

It was a strong booming thing that made me almost need to cover my ears it was so loud. "Ya da _not_ disappoint, Splinter-san." He commented to our father who smiled at us proudly. "Ya've raised quite the lil _team _here."

"Sensei?" Leo asked again now totally confused, which made _two_ of us.

"It is alright, Leonardo." Splinter told him warmly. "Stand down." We all relaxed a bit at his words but still looked around trying to figure out what the _hell_ had just happened.

"I don't get it." Mikey muttered and the bear laughed again.

"Why did you help your brother, _kame_?" Ichi suddenly asked making us all jump and quickly turned to look at him, admittedly I had kind of forgotten he was there.

"Because he's our brother." I answered immediately. 'What kind of a _stupid_ question was that?' I thought to myself sourly.

"We look out for our own." Leo backed me up.

"Yeah." Mikey agreed inspirationally.

"But ya _knew_ I wasn' hurtin him? Why would ya fight knowin that ya couldn' win?" Roku asked looking at Leo directly.

"Because he's my _brother_." Leo repeated.

Roku just smiled again and let out another one of his loud laughs. 'What the heck was so _funny_ anyway?'

"Fair enough." Ichi stated simply a second later. "You _pass_." All we could do was look at him in shock.

"What?" Raph asked dumfounded. "That's it?"

"Don' look so _startled_, lil kame." The bear mutant proclaimed with a grin. "As surprising as this might sound ta ya, most would_ not_ have done what yur brothers just did." Roku admitted leaning against a desk heavily and folded his arms before continuing.

"They either didn' want ta get in trouble. Saw no reason ta risk injury and embarrassment when there wasn' any _real_ danger, or maybe they just thought the guy had it comin." He looked at Raph as he said this last part and I realized that this had not been the _first_ time a student had lashed out at him only to be used as an _example_.

…

_(Mikey's POV)_

"I – I'm still confused." I admitted scratching my head in thought as I looked to my brothers for support. 'Why would _anyone_ just leave their brother to suffer when they could stop it?'

This time Ichi answered. "Ninjutsu is a _multi-purpose _art, Michelangelo. There are _countless_ disciplines. How could we ever expect just _one _shinobi to master them _all_?" He asked with a smile.

I opened my mouth to answer but realized I still didn't have one and closed it again.

"We don't always have the _luxury_ of years and _years_ to train young ninja in _every_ art-form." He continued. "This is why we make _teams_, but your ability to work as _one_ with that team is just as important as your ability to function as _individuals_." He stated wisely and I began to see what he meant.

"In this way you learn _faster_ are prepared _sooner_ and will hopefully _live_ _longer_." Splinter added as he walked up to us.

"Oh." My brothers and I all said as one.

Roku laughed again and quickly rubbed Raph's head embarrassingly causing my brother to swat at his hand. "Ya kids are nothin if not entertainin." He proclaimed. "Ok, now everyone sit down." He ordered suddenly; pulling out a chair and plopped down into it with a loud thud that rattled the whole room.

Splinter and Ichi quietly took a seat as well though a little more _gracefully_ than Roku had, while my brothers and I just looked at each other for another second before quickly righting our own chairs and turned to listen to our elders.

Roku pulled several sheets of paper from his kimono and I groaned. 'Not another _test_.' I thought to myself miserably.

"Relax _kame_." The bear mutant muttered as he read the pages without looking up. "_San_ is in charge of _school_, yur here ta _train_." I looked at my brothers again in shock as he said this.

'Could this guy read minds like Splinter?'

"_Kame_?" Ichi announced and we all looked at him again as he studied us with interest. "Your test is not yet over; to become genin you must answer _one_ question." He started. "But you _must_ do so with _complete_ confidence." He continued. "I can not allow you to become ninja if you do not _believe_ in your answer, for it might cause _problems_ later on." He explained.

We all immediately became nervous as we thought about that for a minute then looked up and nodded in understanding. He just gave us a single nod in return before reciting.

"Who is your _leader_?"

I was honestly shocked by that question so I didn't answer right away, but Donnie did.

"Leo." He said without pause which was kind of surprising, he usually thought long and hard about this kind of stuff which meant he had; had an answer to this question for quite a while.

Ichi looked at him and nodded approvingly and I noticed Roku write something down on one of the sheets of paper then they both turned to watch the rest of us waiting for our responses.

"Leo." I finally answered confidently and they looked at me too but only for a second before finally turning to Raph. Donnie and I watched him as well while Leo just sat on the end looking at the floor obviously nervous.

It took another minute but Raph finally answered. "Leo." He said simply.

Ichi continued to study him for a minute as if trying to determine if he was lying, but finally nodded in agreement and sat up straighter. "Leonardo." He stated toward my brother causing him to sit up straighter.

"Yes?" He asked nervously.

"Stand up." The tiger requested causing my brother to look at us quickly before slowly standing and walked over to kneel respectfully in front of the high elder. "Your _team_ has spoken; you would stand in position of _leader_. Do you accept?" Ichi asked him softly.

Leo only swallowed and looked back at us as if he couldn't believe that this was happening. Donnie nodded encouragingly and I gave him a big thumbs-up, I didn't see what Raph did but whatever it was caused Leo to smile and turn back around to face the mutant tiger with confidence.

"Yes." He finally answered and Donnie immediately grabbed my arm as I tried to stand up and cheer before forcing me back into my seat, however he couldn't stop me from smiling.

Roku shook his head and proclaimed sourly. "_Kids_!" But there was no real fire in his words and I swear I actually saw him _smile_ too.

"Very well." Ichi stated and turned to look at the rest of us. "Stand." He ordered and we did as we were told before immediately gathering in front of him like Splinter had taught us to.

"Congratulations." Ichi declared with a smile before continuing. "You are now officially _Genin_."

* * *

This was the first chapter I was able to spell Michelangelo's name right on the first try. XD… For some reason I always type a's instead of e's.

R&amp;R


	4. Chapter 3

Time will be going by faster for a little while, make sure to pay attention to the Year and Age posted above every section.

* * *

Chapter 3:

Year 2 – Age 6

_(Leo's POV)_

So our first real mission was surprisingly _boring_.

Written tests and sitting around doing nothing for hours on end; followed by a lesson on the value of teamwork that we already knew. Admittedly it wasn't quite what I had been expecting, but I think that was the whole point.

So apparently all our worrying, panic and sleeplessness had been for _nothing_; however we couldn't really bring ourselves to be mad about it. It may not have been the hardest thing we've ever done in our lives but it made us realize that we should truly value what we had.

We were surprisingly exhausted by the time we returned home and Splinter was more than willing to just let us lounge around while he took on the task of cooking dinner. It was something Mikey usually did now-a-days but seeing as the little pest was currently passed out on the table we figured it was both better and _safer _to let our father mess with the fire-making objects.

I attempted to speak my thanks when he presented us with the food a while later but the words became a little jumbled through the yawn, which caused me to wonder just how wellthe elders had arranged this training thing.

They had probably already known that our nerves would keep us up all night and an extra day just made us that much more exhausted; to the point that we would no doubt be dead to the world tonight and apparently we were going to _need _it; as we were informed that as of tomorrow we had officially started ninja _boot-camp_.

But as of the moment we settled for just scarfing down our food like ravage hyenas causing Splinter to eye us disapprovingly before simply ignoring us. He could have just felt understanding of the reality that we hadn't eaten all day or he was merely leaning to accept it as a fact-of-life, I wasn't sure which.

However when he had finished his own meal he proceeded to calmly put his plate in the sink and go to his room without a word. At first we thought that meant we had been excused and were about to head to bed ourselves when he returned.

"Come." He instructed simply before heading into the little room we used for meditation and small-term training. Looking at each other for a second in an attempt to figure out if we were in trouble we finally stood up to follow.

Finding our father kneeling in the middle of the room with a small nap-sack placed on the ground in front of him we quickly situated ourselves respectfully and he smiled.

"I know that today was not what you had expected." He started softly. "But you should still know that you preformed commendably and that I am very proud of you." I felt a little smile form on my face at those words as he gently reached out to open the bag and removed four oddly shaped packages.

"_Kale_ asked me to give these to you when I felt you were ready." He continued and we all perked up again at the mention of our old friend. With that he smiled kindly once again and carefully placed one in front of each of us. "I know not what they are." He added collecting the bag again before rising to his feet. "But they are for your eyes and your eyes only." With this he bid us goodnight and left the room as we bowed respectfully in his wake.

Looking back at the gift in front of me I started to wonder if maybe we should all go into different rooms as well, however that idea was quickly squashed when Mikey descended on his like an angel of darkness and ripped away the paper to revel – _a_ _compass_.

He seemed just as confused as the rest of us as he lifted it up to study the thing for anything of interest, but just when he seemed to have decided that he'd been duped he spotted something on the inside cover and turned it around to read.

"What does it say?" Raph demanded when Mikey smiled brightly at the little message but instead of answering he just passed the object around so we could see for ourselves.

I couldn't help but smile myself when it finally reached me and I was able to read the fancy letters carved into the gold plating.

_So that you may always __**follow**_ _the correct path_

With that Raph promptly dug into his gift as well only to find a _telescope_ this time around with a new message written on the leather binding.

_So that you may always __**see**__ the correct path_

I let Donnie go next and he gently unwrapped the simple brown paper to discover a fancy leather tube which he opened to find a _map_ and another statement written on the back.

_ So that you may always __**take**__ the correct path_

Finally it was my turn and my brothers quickly crowed around curiously as mine was by far the most _interesting_. Its odd shape had obviously made it difficult to wrap and equally as difficult to open, however Raph quickly fixed that problem when he became impatient with my attempt to remove the paper without ripping it and proceeded to pull the offending article away in one fell swoop, I turned to glare at him momentarily before finally looking down at my gift.

At first I wasn't sure what it was, but Donnie informed that it was some kind of navigational instrument called a _sextant_. As I looked over the intricate little gadget I found myself really wanting to know how it worked which was how I eventually located the message Kale had left for me and even though it was still repetitive in nature I found it couldn't have been more perfect.

_So that you may always __**find**__ the correct path_

…

Training started bright and early the next morning. (Okay maybe not _bright_,) as I think it was only 2 a.m. when Roku suddenly barged into our room and literally _dragged_ us outside.

To say that we panicked a little was an understatement but he made it clear that we would _not_ receive slack for it nor would we be given any time to adjust, which was how we found ourselves being _chased_ before we really knew what was happening.

I'll tell you something there was probably no better motivation in the world to run and _keep_ running than a giant mutant bear on your tail.

Before we knew it we were leaving the complex behind and running through the seemingly endless mass of trees and underbrush, trying desperately to get away. But he stayed with us and showed no signs of stopping or slowing.

When Donnie informed us that a whole _hour _had passed we were so sore that we could barely stand and exhaustion gripped us so hard that we thought we would just pass out.

But Roku was relentless and we had to keep running, so we found the strength by encouragement, pushing and sometimes even carrying one another.

As the day wore on we resorted to trying to use our environment to slow him down. Raph would rip bushes right out of the ground and throw them in his path, but nothing seemed to work. We considered the trees at one point but none of us liked heights and we were sure that would only slow us down.

Coming up on our unknown hour I realized that I could no longer feel my legs, in fact _nothing_ seemed to hurt anymore.

Our desire to get away overpowered everything else, giving us the ability to ignore the pain and focus only on running. I had honestly never felt anything so – _simple_, it was kind of refreshing; to only have one concern in life and I realized somewhere along the lines that it was _familiar_.

I remember feeling the same way when we had first escaped the white coats. We had run and run but never felt the pain, our only concern had been to get away and protect one another.

It was like our bodies had picked up on that same reaction and were using it again, to aid us in performing the task at hand and forget everything else.

For a second I honestly thought I was in that memory again when we emerged from the forest and found ourselves on a _beach_. The water called to us and I was about to give the order to make a break for it; just as I had done before, but we were quickly called back to reality when Roku suddenly ordered us to stop.

His voice portrayed such command that we couldn't help but obey and we quickly turned to watch him meander from the trees not even a little out of breathe. My instincts kept telling me to get my brothers run again but his smile kept telling me that it was alright.

"Yu've done well lil _kame_." He stated walking up to us slowly with a big show of proclamation that the race was over and that we could rest.

As I realized that the danger was passed and there was no longer a reason to hold in the pain it decided to return with a vengeance and before I even knew what had happened my brothers and I were laying in the sand panting breathlessly; officially so tired that we couldn't even lift our arms to sooth our own discomfort.

Roku walked up and looked down at us while we rested and gave us a big smile. "I'm impressed, Splinter-san." He stated and I barely caught sight of our father out of the corner of my eye as he gently lifted one of my brother's heads to take some little sips of water to keep him hydrated.

When he finally walked into my line of sight he smiled proudly at me and helped me take a drink.

"Slowly my son." He had to remind me three times. "All is well."

It took us almost an hour to finally recover from our ordeal and sit up again to which Roku actually _congratulated _us.

"Very few have ever made it all the way on the first try." He stated casually as we all took generous drinks of some much needed water.

"What?" Raph asked, his voice sounded raw and parched but I guess that was to be expected.

"This exercise was to test your endurance and stamina." Splinter explained. "As well as your ability to _manage_ it."

"I don't get it." Mikey whispered quieting trying not to hurt his throat.

"It's true that ya'll be trained ta _fight_, but the main goal of a ninja is ta remain undetected and _escape_ capture." Roku explained. "If ya can _run_ the option ta _fight _is always open, but the option ta _run_ may not always remain open ta those who _fight_. Da ya understand?"

"I think so." Mikey admitted thinking about it a bit more.

"But I don't _want_ to _run_." Raph stated unsurprisingly and Roku laughed at him.

"Oh ya don' need ta tell me _that_,lil _kame_." The bear mutant proclaimed rubbing my brother on the head and causing him to swat at the large hand in annoyance. "But answer me this. If yur _leader _ordered ya ta retreat would ya da it?"

Raph looked at me skeptically and I waited patently for his answer. I always knew he would be the hardest to guide; his pride didn't like to be on the receiving end of something that he saw in himself.

"I –" Raph started before letting out a big sigh. "Yeah I guess. But only if _he_ retreated too." He added and I face-palmed.

'And he says _I'm _complicated.' I thought to myself sourly.

"_A passionate temperament often requires someone __else__ ta call the shots." Roku explained wisely. "And somewhere deep down ya __understand__ that it's __necessary__, even if you find it __irksome__." I blinked slightly as I heard something reminiscent of __experience __in his voice as he said this and I couldn't help but wonder just how much he and Raph had in common._

_…_

"Looks like I lost the _bet_." Roku declared as we watched the sun set only a few hours later, which made me wonder just how _long _he had forced us to run.

"I'm not one to say 'I told you so.'" Splinter quailed casually drinking from his tea cup.

"Since when?" The bear stated giving our father a look.

"Bet?" Donnie asked interrupting the quarrelling adults.

"Yur dad here told me not ta _expect_ ya on this challenge for ta long." Roku explained pointing a thumb over his shoulder at Splinter. "I didn' believe him."

"Wait a minute." Raph proclaimed sitting up suddenly. "Are you saying we were _supposed _to do this _longer_?"

"Of course." Roku answered downing his own cup of tea in one gulp. "Today was supposed ta show how _long _yur stamina training should last. Normally newbie's need about 5 or 6 _months_ ta get the hang of it, but if ya can keep up this pace we should be done in a few a _weeks_." He proclaimed as if he was talking about the weather.

"_What_?" My brothers and I all yelled at once.

"Ya didn' really think this was the _end_ did ya?" He laughed giving us a big grin and Mikey promptly collapsed back in the sand while the rest of us just stared at the mutant bear in horror.

…

Roku continued to wake us up at dark:30 and expected us to function most of the day without food or water for the next couple weeks. However he didn't chase us anymore; instead we had to chase _him_. In a way it was easier but Roku's version of _punishment_ for not keeping up with him was almost ten times worse than being chased like little bunnies through the woods.

Jumping jacks, push ups, sit ups, crunches, lunges. His list went on and on and he had a routine for just about every kind of workout you could think of, but as the days wore on and eventually turned to weeks, we found ourselves getting stronger while at the same time _enjoying_ his company more and more.

As our stamina training started to draw to a close I realized _why_ Splinter had been so hard on us during our beginner training. He had been _preparing_ us for this so we would be strong enough to keep up.

We would have to remember to thank him if we managed to acquire a break longer than 5 minutes in the next 4 years.

…

_(Raph's POV)_

I would have been lying if I said I wasn't thankful that Splinter remained a constant participant in our training, but it became clear that we were expected to obey the other elders without fail, as each one of them was specialized in a different discipline.

As the days wore on and Roku's training regimen finally ended we faced other challenges and if we thought running for hours and hours on end was bad it was _nothing_ compared to standing in one place.

Thankfully the exercise was just in _balance_ for now but standing on bamboo shoots _all day_ was not my idea of _fun_ and Elder Jyu didn't inspire a lot of confidence either, as I don't think she moved so much as an inch the whole time.

Unfortunately I was probably the least likely to pass this test as I never did have a good sense of balance and I fell more times than all of my brothers combined. But they were never cruel about it and were always there to help me up if I needed it, encouraged me to try again and gave advice on how to stay upright.

I would probably never admit it but I couldn't have done it without them.

Thankfully this time the challenge was just repetition, repetition, repetition. We got to switch off between balancing with Elder Jyu and strength exercises with Roku, and admittedly; knowing that I could _punch_ something the next day made me feel a whole lot better when I was forced to stand around looking like an idiot and fall on my face every 5 minutes.

We ended up beating the stuffing out of some soft targets for two months to help us master our form, then moved on to hard wooden dummies for another two months to encourage our strength. Next were the moving targets which helped with speed and reflex until finally we faced _actual_ adversaries.

Splinter was usually our opponent, but Roku and Ichi had been known to step in and test our progress as well. However when we had been at it for well over 6 months and more than ready for the next challenge, we found to our great displeasure that it was the _same_ _damn_ _thing_, only this time we would be doing the whole process via _kicks_.

But in the end the long year was well worth the effort when we found that we could balance on the bamboo for hours and hours without so much as twitching under the pressure and had mastered our form in both hand and foot, to the point of doing it blindfolded and with our hands tied.

…

Year 3 – Age 7

When we began _Taijutsu_ we started with Yoga and the slow motion movements that Splinter had already showed us before moving onto the more complicated martial arts forms.

We mastered the moves early on that we would be expected to _repeat_ on are own for the remainder of our lives, or at least our lives as ninja. But another 6 months in we were given the chance to actually _practice_ what we had learned, which would have been great had it no been _on_ _each other_.

I don't think any of us really enjoyed the thought of fighting one another. Leo kind of froze up most of the time and I was usually so afraid that I might loose control and hurt them that I would never even get close enough to land a punch. Donnie ended up dodging _everything_, never lifting a finger against us and Mikey was just plain lost.

"My sons." Splinter interrupted as we _struggled_ through our 2nd session of this and we quickly moved to kneel in front of him as he studied us thoroughly. "I understand your fear." He proclaimed kindly kneeling down as well so that we would not have to look up at him. "And I assure you it is _unfounded_."

"But Sensei." Leo started. "I don't want to hurt them."

"Me neither." I added immediately forgetting my tough-guy act for a moment.

"You will _not_." Splinter told us. "You are _all_ finely tuned warriors; your skills have improved much, you have no need to worry."

"But –" Mikey started.

"Do you not _trust_ your brothers?" A voice asked and we all looked toward it to find Ichi walking up behind Splinter.

When I realized that; that question had been directed at all of us individually I decided to provide _my_ answer. "Of course I do, I just don't want to _hurt_ them." 'Honestly why was that so hard to understand?' I thought to myself sourly.

Ichi nodded in thought for a second before asking another question. "So then you don't _believe _in your brothers?"

"What?" Leo asked confused when I found myself unable to ask it myself.

"You do not have _faith_ in your team?" He asked curiously. "Even though you have watched them learn, watched them _grow _right alongside you. You still do not see their _skills_ or their _strengths_?" Ichi asked calmly and we honestly couldn't help staring at him in shock of that sudden realization.

Splinter and Ichi gave us another couple of minutes to mull that over before the High Elder spoke up again. "Have we chosen this team in _error_?" He asked causing us all to panic slightly.

"No." We all said at once and he smiled.

"Do you wish to try again?" He asked kindly.

"Yes." Leo said alone this time.

Ichi smiled before turning slightly so that we could see the fighting platform again. "Than by all means; show us your skills, _prove_ that you have strength." He offered and my brothers and I quickly stood as one to go back to the field.

This time there was no fear or hesitation, it took us seconds to realize that Splinter had been _right_, our fears _had _been unfounded. Like in all other things, fighting too was just another area to show that we kneweach other_ better_ than we knew ourselves.

We fought _knowing_ that the other would counter or block or roll or dodge and soon just how they would swing or punch or kick or hit. We knew what we could take and what we couldn't but we always moved as one. My brothers compensated for my shortcomings while I compensated for theirs.

We were the perfect union of mind, body, spirit and soul.

…

Year 4 – Age 8

_(Donnie's POV)_

Around our 8th hatchday we were admitted into Elder Shichi's care; who we quickly learned would be our s_tealth_ Sensei.

She started us off on day one with the challenge of walking across a creaky old floor without making a sound. Leo went first after which we learned that if we _failed_ the first time we had to do it again and again _and again_ until we mastered it and not only that but we had to do it on our_ hands_.

Trying to find a way to help my brother I quickly figured that this test was not only designed to teach us stealth but also _versatility_. So as quietly as I could I rebounded off a wall and proceeded to cross the room via the _rafters_ instead.

When I reached the other side no one could deny that I hadn't made a sound, however Shichi made me repeat the exercise anyway for taking the _easy route_.

More than a little miffed I started the same exercise as Leo and watched closely as Raph and Mikey failed as well, even though they had both tried different approaches.

I was beginning to think that either she was being purposely unfair or the test was _designed_ to make us fail so we would be forced to do the repetition phase and _expand_ our range of motion.

Either way we ended up crossingthat floor for _months_, failing more times than I really cared to count, but never _once_ did we succeed.

But thankfully we were able to take our minds off our failure with _school_, which was cool.

_At first_.

Mikey quickly became the class clown which was how we learned that Elder San could be quite _mean_ when you ticked her off, not to mention she seemed to have cornered the market on Splinter's punishment routine of doing _flips_ tell we dropped.

Needless to say some days we would have happily _strangled_ our little brother had we had the energy to do so.

…

As our third year moved on we were treated to lesson after lesson on the various disciplines of Ninjutsu. _Chi-mon_; the ninja discipline of geography was interesting, as we learned land layout and how to navigate different terrain.

Leo and I thrived on the _Bōryaku_ courses; the use of strategies and tactics and _Kayakujutsu_ was fun, if a little scary, as the art of gunpowder and the use of firearms had never been real high on my list of skills; however I found that I rather enjoyed making explosions and smoke pellets.

Of course San and Shichi also liked to mix it up so on odd days we would return to stealth training or as they called it _Togakure-ryū_, roughly translated to the 'School of the Hidden Door.'

_Chōhō_; the ninja art of espionage was – attention grabbing and _Intonjutsu_ or_ '_disappearing techniques,' was worthy of note, as it taught us some very important techniques on how to conceal ourselves and escape capture.

We surely spent more than our fair share of patience trying to break out of prison cells, untie ropes or free ourselves from cages. It was in no way _fun_, but that was kind of the point and it certainly gave us plenty of motivation to _avoid _capture in the future.

_ Hensōjutsu_;the ninja art of disguise, impersonation and infiltration, was another amusing one, true many of the techniques had been designed for _human use_ but we managed somehow.

_Shinobi-iri_ was another fascinating art which featured stealth walking, silent running and movement concealment, free running and various other night-operation exercises followed and these were just a _few_ of the techniques she drilled into our heads over the months.

However when our 8th month rolled around we were greeted with a slight change of pace, as Elder Jyu returned to take us on a month long wilderness survival and field craft journey.

Complete with _Tenmon_ training, the ninja art of understanding and using meteorology, which allowed us to know and foresee weather changes, nature's changes, animal behavior and atmospheric signs then use them to our advantage as a strategic weapon to weaken and defeat an enemy.

When we got back she even introduced us to bit of _Bajutsu_ which was the art of none other than _horsemanship._ (That was certainly interesting.)

This was followed by _Sui-ren_ or _water_ training with Elder San which we thoroughly enjoyed. After almost 3 whole years of nearly _constant_ physical activity of all kinds, it was nice to get back in the water.

_Seishinteki kyōyō_ followed that, which Elder San and Master Splinter used to refine our _mental _education and helped us gain greater general _spiritual_ development.

Teaching us to focus on the mental, spiritual and emotional aspects of our Ninjutsu through the use of Shugendo's special awareness techniques and Zen Buddhism practice which helped us to visualize details of a battle and find the winning strategy, as well as the handling and control of our fear and physical pain.

I will probably never understand _how_; but when we returned at the end of the year to try our hand at crossing Shichi's creaky old floor again. We _never made a sound._

…

Year 5 – Age 9

_(Mikey's POV)_

On the first day of our 3rd year Elder Ichi and Splinter introduced us to an intensetraining room known simply as '_The_ _Ha'shi.'_ At first we thought it was just another random room in the castle but we soon learned just how sorely mistaken we were, (and I do mean _sore_.)

_Every_ _single_ _one_ of the floorboards, wall panels and support beams in the room were booby trapped in one fashion or another so with _every step_ we set off swinging obstacles, trap doors, falling sand bags and an assortment of non-lethal projectiles.

Even trying to rebound off the walls only earned us a one way trip through a hidden doorway and the rafters would often drop us, collapse on us and in some cases even _shock _us.

On our 5th day I heard the now familiar series of clicks in the walls and floor that indicated that the traps had all been deactivated and I quickly got up from my position behind another trick wall and threw my weight against the door as hard as I could, to which it promptly turned in a circle and deposited me in a pile on the opposite floor.

I looked around as Donnie freed himself from a weighted board that had dropped from the ceiling, 'that had to hurt' and walked over to help me to my feet. Raph was currently pulling himself out of a hole in the floor and Leo was struggling to dislodge the 100 pound sand bag that had trapped him on his back.

"What is the _point _of this anyway?" Raph asked sourly as he effortlessly picked up the bag and pulled Leo up. I couldn't help but agree with him, I had thought we'd been advancing well in our training but now it felt like our Sensei's were _trying _to break our confidence, not to mention _humiliate_ us in the process.

"_Adaption_." Ichi stated as he and Splinter walked up to us. "I'm sure you have noticed that there is _no _way to cross this room without triggering a trap."

"So it was _never _possible?" Leo asked somewhat disappointed and I quickly felt bad for him, he had been trying harder than any of us to find the secret to the room and pass the challenge.

"You misunderstand, Leonardo." Ichi continued. "This is _not _stealth training, this challenge is to teach you to escape and continue a mission _despite_ setbacks." He explained. "It does not _matter_ that you can not cross without being detected; the lesson here is to _deal with_ whatever obstacles you face."

"I get it." I proclaimed. "It's like Shichi's _versatility_ thing."

"In a way." The tiger stated simply. "It also teaches you to avoid capture, minimize injury, _expect_ the unexpected yet never _forget_ the obvious." He said wisely. "And a little _humility_ never hurt either." He added obviously amused.

I opened my mouth to respond to that but found that I was once again confused.

Ichi smiled and laughed lightly under his breathe before continuing. "As you've noticed, this room is _filled_ with hindrance, as such _every_ attempt you make will be _different_; there is _no_ chance of memorization, _no_ time to adjust to the settings, so you must _adapt_ quickly, _dodge_ often, _keep_ moving and _never_ look back."

My brothers and I thought about that for another minute as we studied the room again.

"Are you ready to try again, my sons?" Splinter asked with his hand near the pressure plate on the wall that would reset and reactivate the room.

Leo looked at all of us and we nodded before he turned back to our father and answered. "Yes."

The room quickly returned to its original position and Leo immediately started giving orders which we performed without pause. I think we got a grand total of an_ inch_ closer this time before we were all once again bested by the room, but that was okay after all we were here to learn.

…

After every three or four days of training we were given a day to rest and man did we need it, that room was freaking _brutal_.

Most of the time we spent the whole day just lounging in the sun restoring our strength and healing our aches and pains, but as the months wore on we noticed that we were able to put up with _more_.

We could take more punishment, dish out moves and dodge faster than ever and we got farther and farther into the room every single day, until some 4 or 5 months in we _finally_ made it to the other side.

We were honestly a bit surprised but we soon got over it and couldn't help but cheer and hoot it up for several minutes until Ichi informed us that the task was _not_ _over,_ because we now had to _return_.

To say we were peeved was probably the biggest understatement of the century, but it got worse. As _seconds_ into the return trip we were once again bested by the room, which was when we learned that we were _not _allowed to start from where we left off.

Instead we had to return to the original end cross the room again and then cross back before the task would be considered complete.

I swear this had to be some form of legalized torture or something.

…

We learned pretty quickly that the second part of this test was _nothing_ like the first. Not only were we already _exhausted_ by the time we got to the other side but the traps came _faster_ and _harder_ on the return trip.

Not to mention that any of the ones we had activated previously continued to stay on the field, either to keep swinging at us or simply create obstacles for us to navigate. By the end of our first week we were ready to write a strongly worded letter to whatever crazy idiot designed that room in the first place.

However just like last time we started to clearly notice a change in our stamina, speed and strength as the weeks turned into months and pretty soon we were able to _conserve_ our energy enough to make it to the other side without too much hassle and eventually arrive back with our Sensei's where we had started.

Splinter and Ichi made it clear that they were very proud of us, but _still_ the training was not over, now we had to protect an _egg_ throughout the whole challenge, I was starting to wonder if it would _ever_ end.

But when the months eventually roiled over to the end of our 4th year, we had arrived back at the starting line with a completely _intact_ egg and on top off that we weren't even out of breath.

…

Year 6 – Age 10

I held in my laughter as much as I could and ran through the halls of the main building all the way up to the observatory, before quickly making my way to a particular window and looked out over the courtyard where I couldn't help but laugh out loud as I spotted my brothers, who were all currently caked from head to toe in _mud_, courtesy of yours truly.

They were no doubt going to kill me when they finally managed to untangle themselves from their current predicament but it was totally worth it.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" I screamed loudly and quickly turned around to face my attacker, only to find it was just Shichi standing there with her hands behind her back giving me a scrutinizing look.

I swallowed nervously before giving her one of my famous innocent smiles, to which the panther mutant just cocked an eyebrow at me before walking up to the window to look for herself.

"Isn't that _unfortunate_." She proclaimed as if talking of the weather and I blinked in surprise upon noticing the _sarcasm_ in her voice.

I had honestly expected to be washing the toilets with a toothbrush by now or at least be up to my ears in a lecture about using my day off _wisely_, but she just turned slightly and smiled at me.

"I take it your father never told you how much of a _terror _he was as a kid?" She asked casually.

"Huh?" I asked in shock.

"We grew up together." She explained.

"Really?" I asked excitedly my fear all but forgotten in exchange for listening to her story.

"Yoshi, Roku and I, we were orphaned at a young age, but they became my family, my _brothers_." She declared looking out the window again as if she were reminiscing about another time. "And like siblings we fought and joked and played tricks on each other, but only _your father_ could out-prank me."

"Really?" I asked again unbelievingly. The idea of a younger; smaller Splinter playing pranks on the mutant in front of me was so foreign it was laughable.

"Yep." She answered before continuing. "We lived on the streets, it was hard sometimes but _laughter_ always made the day brighter." She explained giving me an almost _pleased_ look.

"What happened after that?" I asked taking a step closer to her waiting impatiently for her to continue.

She smiled again before going on. "A day came when we thought we could go _no further_." She said sadly and I suddenly lost my smile. "But someone saved us; he took us into his home and trained us in the art of Ninjutsu." She added.

"Who?" I asked cocking my head slightly in curiosity.

She grinned and leaned back against the wall. "I've heard that you are quite the detective, so I'll let _you_ figure it out."

"That's not fair." I whined unable to stop myself.

She laughed out loud before answering. "Why? Did you want to hear the rest of my story, little _kame_?" She asked amused.

"Yes." I stated simply and she laughed again.

"Tell you what." She said. "You come up with the right answer and I'll tell you the rest." I just pouted and looked back at the window in a huff more than a little disgruntled as I started trying to put the pieces together.

My brothers and I had noticed before how Splinter, Roku and Shichi seemed to joke and almost _play _together when they taught, which was something the other elders never did or at least it was something we never _saw_. So her words just confirmed what I had already suspected.

But I'd noticed over the years that they also seemed to have a similar fighting style. Though Roku tended to lean more toward brute strength, Shichi obviously liked her stealth and Splinter was really into the mental stuff they still obviously came from the same place. I bet if I tracked down the similarities they all sheared it would lead me straight to their teacher.

Shichi watched me patiently as I continued to mull it over until finally I just turned to _look_ at her wondering if maybe my sight-thing worked on _people _too.

I was about to just give up and go sulk in the corner for the rest of the day when it hit me.

In truth I wasn't so much putting the pieces together as I was just noticing which ones were missing. I couldn't determine who their teacher was because I had no one to compare them too, but there was only _one _person who'd have that kind of skill level yet at the same time I had never actually seen him _fight_.

"Ichi." I stated confidently and she smiled at me warmly before nodding and I jumped for joy.

"Very good." She stated after a minute before looking back out the window. "However it would appear that your _prize_ will have to wait."

"What? Why?" I asked angrily.

"Something you might wish to remember the next time you decide to prank your brothers." She stated suddenly and I looked at her curiously. "_Cover your tracks_." She advised as she turned her gaze to the floor.

I followed her eyes curiously which was how I found my attention quickly captured by the army of little muddy foot prints that had followed me all the way up the stairs.

Panicking and looked back at the window in a hurry to find that my brothers had located the tracks as well and were now heading toward my hiding place in hot pursuit.

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

"Don't lead with your shoulders, Donatello." Splinter preached and I adjusted accordingly, it was our first day of actual _weapons_ training and I already knew I was far behind my brothers.

Leo was already wielding his wooden practice sword like he had been using one his whole life and even Raph who was doing nothing more than beating the practice dummies senseless was better at it than me.

I had to force myself to hold the sword tighter so it wouldn't slip and steadied my shaking hands before taking a deep breath and charged the wara-straw target again, however when my weapon came in contact with the inner bamboo that was meant to simulate _bone_ I panicked.

I immediately dropped the stick and backed away from the dummy like I feared it would retaliate which unfortunately put me right in Leo's path. He was able to move his weapon away at the last second so he wouldn't hurt me, but he couldn't stop his momentum in time to avoid the collision and we both fell to the ground in a mass of limbs.

"Donnie." He stated worriedly as he made to help me up. "I'm sorry I didn't see you."

"It's ok." I said in a small voice and I was sure my older brother didn't miss the fact that I was trembling uncontrollably.

"My sons, are you alright?" Splinter asked running up to help us to our feet.

"I think so." Leo guessed studying me carefully as if looking for an injury.

"Donatello?" Splinter asked when I didn't answer.

"I'm – sorry – Sensei." I whispered trying desperately to control my shaking. "I – I _can't_." I heard Splinter sigh before he touched my shoulder reassuringly and I suddenly felt even worse.

I was letting him down.

"Sure you can, Donnie." Mikey stated encouragingly as his infinite well of happiness demanded he make his brother happy again. "See it's easy." He crowed and I made the mistake of looking up just as he demonstrated the move I had just attempted.

When the sound of wood hitting bamboo sounded through the courtyard again I flinched violently and Leo immediately moved to comfort me again but I was in no condition to except it.

For the first time in my life I pushed him away and ran.

…

My legs didn't allow me to stop even when my brother's called out to me, for a second I thought I had felt them following but Splinter must have stopped them and decided to let me go.

I didn't realize I had left the complex until I found myself in the forest outside, but still I continued to run. I couldn't bring myself to face that noise again or the fact that my brother, my _little _brother had made it.

It wasn't his fault; he only saw it as a game like everything else he did, but I couldn't see it like that. I knew too much, I'd seen too much, I'd _lost _too much. I couldn't bring myself to risk it again. I would _not _loose another brother because _I _couldn't control my temper.

I don't know how long I ran but I had to stop when I no longer had the breath to keep going. Sinking to the ground completely exhausted I buried my face in my arms and cried.

Why couldn't I do what my father asked? Why was I so weak? I knew if I learned to fight I could protect my brothers, my _mind_ knew that but my body and souljust wouldn't _allow_ it.

"_Ay-yah_, what have we here?" I jumped at the sound of the voice and looked up in a panic to find a cloaked figure standing in front of me and I immediately looked around for an escape route only to realize that I had unintentionally backed myself into a corner during my distracted run.

I froze in my spot unable to move when I looked back around to find a pair of bright gold eyes watching me intently from underneath the hood and became more and more nervous as the man tilted his head slightly as if he were _analyzing_ me.

It took me several minutes to get my breathing and heart rate back under control long enough to ask. "Who are you?"

"I asked first." He declared and I could hear the smile in his voice, which made me wonder if he was making fun of me or something.

"Don – Donatello." I answered quietly struggling to find my center again and calm down.

"Aw." The man stated knowingly. "You're one of Yoshi's _kame_-children?"

"Yes." I stated simply before nearly jumping out of my skin as he started toward me and I closed my eyes in fear as he stopped and knelt down to place his hand on my head.

I felt like I should have jumped or panicked or something, but for some reason I didn't. Instead I just sat there as a warm comforting feeling started to seep into my body from his hand.

When he finally pulled back and my body's functioning system came back online I looked up at him, this time with far more confidence and a lot less fear than I had only moments before.

It was then that he reached up and pulled the hood of his cloak back to reveal his face.

Whatever I had been expecting it wasn't this and I couldn't help but gasp as I came face-to-face with an old, black, _owl_ mutant.

In my opinion bird mutants were some of the oddest around, especially when their face was mutated to appear like their animal counter parts and this man was no different.

His head was pure owl and it was just so strange compared to his more human-like body that I couldn't help but stare, however I realized quickly that I was being rude I leveled my gaze at the ground instead where I noticed his extended hand.

"My name is _Olcadan_." He introduced in a strong but kind voice and I looked back at him curiously.

"Olcadan?" I repeated filing the name away and trying to figure out where else I had heard it; then it hit me. "You're the _healer_." I stated immediately.

If he was surprised that I had known that he didn't show it. "I have heard much about you as well." He proclaimed watching me carefully. "What brings you so far from your home?"

I opened my mouth to answer but realized I didn't really have one and closed it again before looking back at the ground. Somehow my reason for being there just didn't seem relevant any more, like my fear had all been washed away.

I wondered if this had something to do with what he had done before, I had heard that a master healer could control another person's pain, happiness and fear, as a way to calm their patients and promote healing.

Olcadan snapped me out of my thoughts when he spoke again. "No reason?" He asked and I looked up at him quickly as he waited for my answer but I didn't know what to say. I did have a reason for running away but not for being so far from the complex.

"Good." He stated suddenly making me jump before he used his cane to being himself to his full height again. "Then you won't mind helping an old man with his chores." He declared in a voice that made me realize he would not _condone_ a refusal.

As he walked off knowingly I realized that he completely expecting me to follow, however I couldn't help but look back into the forest half wondering if I could make it to the tree line before he saw me.

I already knew there was very little chance though, true the man was a doctor foremost but he was still a ninja and from what I had heard he was a damn _good _one too.

Resigned to my fate I quickly stood up and followed him around the corner of the building which I now realized was octagonal and I couldn't help looking up distractedly at the over-hanging roof as I tried to figure out where I had seen it before.

I suddenly realized I had become sidetracked when I ran straight into Olcadan's leg and fell in an attempt to hurriedly back up again, causing him to look at me skeptically and raise an eyebrow at my position.

I just smiled sheepishly in response and after a minute he smiled back and reached down to help me to my feet. "Here." He stated a second later and threw something at me. I instinctively caught it but only long enough to realize what it was and promptly dropped it like a hot potato.

I shrank back from his scrutinizing look as he studied me again then looked down at the _staff_ on the ground. "You're a curious one aren't you?" He stated as he casually reached down to pick up the stick again but I didn't miss the _double_ meaning of his words.

"I –" I started before swallowing my fear and blurted out. "I don't like weapons."

He looked at me for a moment before smiling. "Good, we should get along _smashingly_." He said simply and I blinked at him in surprise. "I don't like them much either." He added before holding out the staff again and I backed up slightly.

"I –" I tried to argue before he spoke again.

"It is not a _weapon_,young _kame_." He proclaimed. "It is a _tenbin_, there is a difference."

"But – " I stated again looking at the dreaded wooden stick.

'I couldn't see any _difference_.'

"Do you know what _Okinawan kobudō_ is Donatello?" He asked before throwing the staff over his shoulder and started walking toward the forest.

"The martial arts weaponry system from the island of Okinawa." I recited from memory as I followed him at a brisk pace.

He looked at me slightly impressed but still answered with a; "Not quite. _Today_ it is a form of martial arts because it has been _perfected_." He corrected and I looked at him questionably. "But it was originally nothing more than a means for farmers and peasants to protect themselves from crooks and the tyranny of their government."

"The _bo_ _staff_ is a classic example of that struggle." Olcadan continued simply. "It is effectively one of the _easiest_ weapons to master but by far the most _versatile_. It could be mistaken for a simple walking stick, the handle of a rake or even a shovel. In a time when the sword ruled no one took the bo seriously. But where they would exploit its' weaknesses the bo could exploit their _strengths_."

He paused for a minute to let that sink in before starting again "For a ninja, there is no clear distinction between weapons and tools." He continued and I looked up at him curiously as he went on. "And the _bo_ was first and foremost – _a tool_."

Olcadan explained this gently before he suddenly stopped walking and carefully held out the staff to me again. "Adaptable, resourceful and limited only by the borders of your own imagination." He added wisely and I watched him for a minute as I took that into account before slowly reached out to run my finger along the smooth white oak of the bo staff.

'A _tool_,' I thought to myself as a smile slowly graced me with its presence. 'I could live with that.'

…

_(Raph's POV)_

"I don't believe this." I growled looking around another tree for any sign of my objective. If I had known I would have to locate the freaking arrow, I wouldn't have pulled it back so far, but I was beginning to think this had been Elder San's intention.

After all my use with any long-range weapon wasn't that great and the bow was no exception. But if I was forced to _search_ for the arrows I lost it would no doubt encourage me to work on my aim, if nothing else.

"Oh forget it." I grumbled loudly hitting the tree as hard as I could and turned around to try another area. However before I could move too far a loud *_crack_* resounded through the air and I spun back around just in time for a whole colony of leaves to fall down around me.

I instinctively jumped back as the tree I had hit suddenly bent forward splinting completely in half in the process and collapsed to the ground with a deafening crash. It took me a minute to recover but I slowly stood at my full height again and unconsciously hid my fist behind my back as I looked at the destruction in surprise.

"Oops." I whispered to myself out-loud.

"Now what did that tree ever do ta ya?" I turned around in a panic to find a large furry object _right _behind me and promptly jumped out of my shell trying to get out of range. However once I was far enough away I was able to locate the face of Roku watching me with an unamused expression near the top of the fuzzy pile.

"I –" I started to say looking at the tree again then back at the bear. "I didn't _mean_ to." I finally stated truthfully.

"Ya hit it didn' cha?" He asked and I closed my mouth unable to deny that. He continued to look at me for a minute disapprovingly, before reaching down to lift me straight off my feet and carry me like luggage over to the fallen tree.

"Hey." I argued trying to wrestle out of his grip but I knew it was pointless. Roku was on the same level as Splinter; even my brothers and I _together_ couldn't even come close to his skill and power.

The bear mutant promptly dropped me near the top of the tree and I immediately turned back to him intending to continue my rant. However I was interrupted when he thrust something into my face and I flinched away from the sudden close object as I slumped into a more defensive position.

The older mutant just gave me a quizzical look and I turned back to his outstretched hand to find it was only an _axe_. "There may be many trees in the forest, but we da not _waste_, _kame_." He explained sourly.

Getting the picture I carefully took the axe from him and waited for further instruction, however he just casually maneuvered himself over to the tree and pulled a large knife from his belt and started cutting off some of the smaller limbs.

Sighing dejectedly I quickly started to do the same on my side of the tree, realizing immediately that I probably wasn't going to find that arrow.

…

"Hey!" I complained a couple minutes later when I had finally had enough of him throwing all his scraps at me and I couldn't help but blink in surprise when he looked around, featuring an amused _smile _on his face.

"What?" He asked as innocently as he probably could which wasn't saying much.

Getting over my shock I quickly nailed the axe into the tree trunk picked up a wad of sticks and leaves and hucked it at him in retaliation.

The way he looked at me you'd have thought I'd just kicked his puppy. "Don' go startin' somethin' ya can' finish, _kame_." He declared before scooping up about half a forests' worth of limbs and dumped the whole thing on me.

Seconds later I heard him booming with laughter as I struggled to disentangle myself from my new-found borrow. When I was finally free again I charged in determination to make the mutant _pay_ for his insults, but he just grabbed my shell and held me away from him like I was nothing more than a poorly mannered kitten.

"Ya got _spunk_, lil _kame_. I'll give ya that." He told me as I fought to get at him and he laughed at me again, which only proved to enrage me even more.

"What's so funny?" I yelled back. "Put me down!" Before I could say anymore however he casually walked a few feet and wedged me into the split of a _freaking_ _tree_.

"Hey!" I complained again struggling to get my arms free and pull myself out but only succeeded in getting more and more stuck. "Roku." I argued, however he didn't even so much as look back as he continued his work on the fallen tree and throw the scraps over his shoulder at me once again.

I continued to struggle and struggle for a couple of minutes before I realized that the only thing I was likely to accomplish was to collapse this tree as well and I would probably end up breaking my face on the rocks below in the process, considering that I wouldn't be able to break my fall.

So I started looking of another way down, which was how I realized just how high I was. I had to be a good 12 or 13 feet off the ground, 'how the _hell_ had he reached up that high?'

"See where _anger_ gets ya?" Roku asked suddenly and I turned to give his back a death glare.

"Get me down!" I demanded.

"Stuck in a pinch, with no way out." He answered his own question as if I hadn't even spoken. Seeing red now I yelled and yelled at him for several minutes, but he just continued to ignore me as he worked his way through the tree chopping it into smaller sections.

About five minutes later he proceeded to effortlessly haul one of the logs onto his shoulder and started walking back toward the Castle without a care in the world.

"Roku." I complained as he continued to stroll away and I suddenly realized that he had every intention of leaving me here. "Okay, I'm _sorry_." I yelled after him.

I don't know if he heard me but I couldn't hear him returning so I just sighed and resigned myself to having to await his return.

"Now was _that_ so hard?" He asked and I looked up to find him standing there with his arms folded over his chest considering me solemnly.

I suddenly realized that all my anger had basically dissipated at the idea of being left alone and helpless in the middle of the forest. "Please get me down." I requested in a small voice. I may have hated being seen as _soft_ but I hated being _alone_ even more.

He seemed to melt a little at my words and a second later I felt his strong hands effortlessly free me from the tree's grip before placing me safely back on the ground.

I immediately collapsed against the tree and glared at a random rock like this was all its' fault, as Roku silently knelt down to my level and studied me curiously.

"Anger is self destructive." He quoted. "It clouds yur mind and renders ya unable ta see the _consequences _of yur actions."

"Splinter says that all the time." I muttered.

"So why don' ya listen ta him?" He asked.

"I try, but –" I started looking back at him for a second before averting my gaze again. "There's something _wrong _with me." I admitted solemnly as I pulled my legs up to my chest a little tighter.

He let out a sigh that sounded more like a growl and sat against the tree as well. "Now why would ya think that?" He asked.

"Because there _is_." I insisted.

"That's not an _answer_, Raphael." He proclaimed and I didn't miss the fact that; that had been the first time he had ever called me by name. It helped to calm me down a little as I thought about my words before finally coming up with a response.

"I'm _always_ angry." I started burying my face in my knees. "I try to control it, but everything just – _makes_ me angry."

"What things?" He asked simply.

"Everything." I insisted again before expanding my answer further. "Training, Shredder, my – my _brothers_." I admitted with a wince. "_Stupid_ things." I added loudly.

"Well that's a start." He proclaimed suddenly standing again.

"What?" I asked looking up at him in confusion.

"The first step ta conquering a problem is ta _admit _ya have one." He quoted looking back down at me warmly.

"So it'll go away now?" I asked perking up slightly.

"No." He admitted and I deflated again. "But ya can always learn ta _control _it." He added and I looked at him again. "Ya just need ta channel it inta somethin' _useful_." He explained looking back at the fallen tree thoughtfully. "Like ya did there."

I silently looked at the tree as well; contemplating his words solemnly before asking. "How?"

"How'd ya do it before?" He asked back as I finally stood up again and walked over to stand beside him.

"I don't know." I admitted. "It just sort of – _happened_."

"In that case." He said leaning down to cut off a few more limbs from the tree before carving a big X into the same area. "Let's practice until it 'just sort a happens' _again_."

…

_(Leo's POV)_

*_Thunk*_

I couldn't help but be surprised when the kunai hit the board, even after watching the elders perform the art I hadn't expected to hit it on my first try. I'd never really been that great as aiming or throwing it just wasn't my thing, but maybe my luck was changing.

Of course that was when Mikey threw his own ninja knife from some odd position and managed to not only hit the board but hit it smack in the center of the painted target as well.

"Whoo-hoo." He crowed throwing his hands in the air for emphases as he danced around like a moron. "Oh yeah, it's my birthday, it's my birthday." He chanted before turning to us with a big grin. "You know I've been thinking, you guys should really _bow_ when acknowledging me as the Ultimate King of Fighters." He declared smartly.

Raph was obviously about to knock his _royal_ block off when another *_thunk*_ sounded through the courtyard and we all looked back at the board to find that Donnie had nailed Mikey's kunai to the board with his own, nearly splitting the blade in half in the process.

I couldn't help but smile at the board in satisfaction and wasn't even going to attempt to understand how he had managed to do that, I was just glad _someone_ had shut Mikey up before he'd started in on another of his rants. It was just a shame that someone hadn't been _me_.

"Hey no fair." Mikey whined.

"All's fair in love and war." A voice stated and we all looked around to find Ichi standing not three feet away causing us to nearly jump out of our skin. "Is this your first time, _kame_?" He asked calmly eyeing the board as he stroked his beard in thought and we all nodded nervously.

'We're in trouble.' I thought to myself silently, it had been made very clear to us that during weapon's training we were to be _supervised_ by Splinter or one of the elders at _all_ times.

However the mutant tiger didn't seem all that angry, but of course this _was _Ichi we were talking about, the man was never angry or at least he never _showed_ it. But I had a sneaky suspicion that he wouldn't let you see his anger until it was already too late.

"Raphael." He declared after considering us for a minute. "Why don't you give it a try?"

We were all quite shocked by this having expected to be punished severely for our actions; but after looking at Raph it was obvious that he thought this _was_ a punishment. Like me Raph wasn't a very good shot and he hated being called out on it, even more when there were other people around to watch him.

Ichi waited patiently for the minute it took my slightly younger brother to decide and promptly stomped over to the throwing line and hucked his kunai at the board as hard as he could.

It took me a minute to notice that he had actually beaten me by at least one line of the target, however the blade hadn't really _hit_ the board instead it had burrowed straight _through_ _it_.

"Oops." Raph stated with a wince as it shattered a lamp and lodging itself in a stone wall across the yard.

Before anyone could comment I stepped up. "I'm sorry, elder." I apologized for my brother as I bowed to the older mutant. "He has a hard time controlling his strength."

Raph just folded his arms and glared at something until I promptly elbowed him in the ribs. "Yeah, what he said." My brother declared ungracefully and I sighed.

After another minute of just watching us Ichi _laughed_. "If nothing else you four are entertaining." He stated warmly and we all looked at each other in an attempt to figure out if that was a good thing.

"Leonardo?" He said randomly and I immediately stood taller.

"Yes elder?" I proclaimed.

"Walk with me please?" He asked and started to stroll away with his hands behind his back as I just stared at him in slight shock. Donnie and Mikey had to give me an encouraging shove before I could move again and I quickly ran after the older mutant.

"Calm down, _kame_." Ichi stated after several minutes. "There is no reason to be so up-tight."

"But –" I started however I was quickly interrupted.

"I know that your father has been raising you to be respectful, but I would much rather we talk as _equal_ individuals." He proclaimed wisely.

I don't know what it was but something about his voice just made me relax, he almost reminded me of Splinter in a way, which reminded me of something else. "Elder Ichi?" I asked and he looked at me letting me know that I had been heard. "Did you _train_ my father?"

He smiled at that warmly. "You are quite perceptive, Leonardo." He stated. "How did you know?"

I looked at the ground before answering. "Actually, it was _Mikey_ that figured it out." I admitted.

"And you believed him?" There was no skepticism or surprise in his voice only the question.

"Of course." I answered without fail. "He does this – _thing_ – I don't really know how. But he's good at it and he's never wrong. So –" I babbled not quite sure where I was going with this.

"So you _utilized_ it?" Ichi finished for me.

I considered that for a moment before asking. "Is that bad?"

"No." He answered almost immediately. "You valued his opinion and knowledge enough to put your faith in it and ask a question that could have very well made you look like a fool had you been wrong."

I thought about that for a minute before he continued. "Now if _I _may ask a question of you?" He stated, waiting for me to nod in consent. "Would you place your _life_ in his hands?" He asked and I nodded. "If the circumstances were _not_ in his favor and he told you that you would _live_, when _you _thought you might die, would you believe him?"

Realizing that; that was a very deep question I decided to consider it for a moment. "I've always had faith in myself." I answered before continuing. "But I have _more _faith in my _brothers_. I would place my life in their hands in a second." I stated confidently. "Even Mikey's." I added with a small laugh.

He smiled genuinely before coming to a stop and looked down at me. "You are a _rare_ persona, Leonardo. A true 'diamond in the rough.'" He proclaimed before laughing warmly as I looked at him quizzically.

"We shall speak more in the future." He stated before walking off again which was when I realized that we had somehow navigated around the entire courtyard without me noticing and my brothers were quickly running up to me again demanding that I tell them everything.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter because it took a long time to write and a lot of research. Unfortunately there was very little information available on ninjas, (not surprising) so it was kind of hard to finagle it all together. But in the end I combined what little I could find on Ninjutsu from the internet with stuff that I've picked up from 'TMNT' and 'Naruto' then added my _own_ ideas and challenges.

I also realize that my version of Splinter is more then capable of training the turtles himself, but I wanted to make it as _authentic_ as possible and I saw no reason to restrict who they could train with in a world where their options _aren't_ _limited_.

I do not own Ninja Turtles or Ninjutsu

But here's a turtle ^-^

()

/**( Q )**\

()–()


	5. Chapter 4

I don't own TMNT

If I did I would have snapped Donnie's Paramount nerd-specks in half, burnt them to a crisp and danced on the ashes

)X

* * *

Chapter 4:

Year 7 – Age 10

_(Leo's POV)_

At the end of our 5th year of training we had finally mastered the basics of ninja weapons and were allowed a whole week to recuperate, which must have been the best seven days of our life; it was just unfortunate that we couldn't really enjoy it.

Normally we would have been preparing for our sixth year as most young ninja continue Genin training until the age 12 sometimes even 13. But since we had passed Roku's stamina test early we were almost a full _year_ ahead of schedule.

Which meant that once our little vacation was over our finale step to becoming _Chuunin_ would begin.

When the week had dwindled down to the last few days Splinter suddenly started us on a diet of rice and water, a_ lot _of water. He said it was to prepare our bodies so we wouldn't be sick and then proceeded to make us go to bed much earlier than we were used too.

In the end we formed another turtle-pile on the floor choosing to be as close as possible in an attempt to at least get a little sleep, however the next morning we wouldn't even _remember_ it.

…

When I woke up I _knew_ something was wrong, it was far too cold I couldn't even feel my fingers and the darkness and _quiet_ were so all consuming that for a moment I thought I was dead. As I slowly got to my feet the idea that I was just having another nightmare seemed more likely – then the _smell_ hit.

It was so foul and so voluminous that I had to use some of my water-training just to block it out enough to breathe and that's how I knew this place was _real_. In all my life I had never experienced smells in my dreams. Not to mention this place was easily ten times worse than that dark room in the lab, as it stripped away everything I had leaving my senses with nothing to sense and my mind with nothing to grasp.

Knowing that my brothers needed me to keep it together I worked hard not to freak out. They were counting on me to lead them out but first I had to _find_ them, which was when I realized that even my _voice_ had been taken.

I put the pieces together in the back of my mind somehow knowing that it was probably that _smell_. It had somehow taken my voice too, not even the sounds from my old language could escape my throat for some reason.

I was about to panic when I heard something that seemed almost _defining_ in the endless void of silence and quickly looked around in an attempt to figure out what it was, until I heard it again.

I quickly started toward the sound before I lost its location and before I even knew what had happened I collided with someone and we both went down. The sound of another shell hitting the ground informed me that it was one of my brothers and I quickly got up to touch him trying to see if he was injured and also figure out _who_ he was.

Normally we could tell each other apart simply by the texture of our shells or the smoothness of our skin, but my fingers were so numb that I couldn't make out that kind of precise information, so I searched for something else.

It took a while but eventually I found a very small area on his shell that was slightly colder than the rest, an area where the nano-bots were thicker resulting in an almost _metal-like _feel.

A bullet wound, _Raph_.

I couldn't help it I immediately hugged him like I feared he would disappear and only backed off again when he started feeling me down as well trying to find proof of my identity. I don't know what he eventually found that verified it was me but he suddenly punched me in the face. Something only Raph would do and only to me.

When I collected myself again and punched him back the _sound_ came again. I tried desperately to locate its source feeling Raphael doing the same until we heard it again and I zeroed in on the position. Somehow the pattern was _familiar_, so just for shits and giggles I hit my first against my brother's shell to make my own version of the noise and it quickly responded with a different rhythm.

It had to be Donnie.

I quickly started moving toward it making sure to keep a firm hold on my brother's arm so we wouldn't be separated. It felt like a lifetime when in reality it was probably only a couple of minutes but we finally tracked down _both _of our little brothers.

I found I was right the source of the sound had been a small rock that Donnie was hitting against a wall. Mikey had probably found him right away as he was almost as good as Donnie with that Morse-code stuff, not to mention he had a better sense of direction than all of us combined.

Donnie tapped out another rhythm on the wall trying to communicate with me and Raph but we were having a hard time keeping up with him. He had studied Morse-cord on Kale's ship and had tried to teach it to us as well but Mikey had been the only one to dive head first into the art.

Considering that Splinter was quickly starting to understand our turtle-language, my youngest brother had gotten in trouble quite often for something he had said and as such seemed to feel that Morse-code would be a good way to keep secrets from him.

I was starting to wish I _hadn't_ been so against it.

As I tried to concentrate on the sounds Donnie was making I made a silent promise to myself that as soon as we got out of this place the first thing I would do is get him to teach it to me.

After a couple minutes my initial fear started to fade as I became more and more aware that my brothers were indeed here with me and that they were all safe, and as a result a _feeling_ that had become so constant and reliable that it was really more of a second nature _returned_ to the forefront of my mind.

In would seem that in my panic I had completely forgotten about our _bond._

I almost felt like banging my head against the wall in frustration, I could have found my brothers in a heartbeat had I only calmed down and thought clearly about it, but instead of initiating self harm I just reached out to touch my brother's back and started rubbing little circles into his shell trying to help him relax as well.

It didn't take Donnie long to figure it out and quickly moved off to help Raph while I did the same with Mikey. Remembering our training we were able to push past our terror and finally composed ourselves enough to 'come back on-line.'

Refocused and calm once again we couldn't help but find our panic kind of funny; it was such a _simple_ fix yet none of us would ever take our connection for granted again.

When my brother's were ready to move we started looking for a way out, however The first direction we took turned out to be a dead end so we carefully turned around and went the other way.

I took the lead and followed the wall using one hand to guide us and the other to hold Raph's hand effectively chaining ourselves together as we made our way further into the endless darkness.

I don't know how long we walked; it felt like days but we weren't hungry or thirsty so it was probably just my imagination. However as the minutes wore on I started to notice something, a weird but almost calming feeling, like I was remembering something I'd forgotten long ago.

When it finally got so strong that I felt there was no way my brother's couldn't be sensing it too I stopped and quickly tapped a message into the wall for them, hoping and praying that I got the sounds right.

I must have for I soon received a '_Yes'_ from three different positions however Donnie quickly came back with something about – _vibrations_ and I racked my brain for more information on the subject.

In a time when Jordan had told us about a few things we should be prepared for, I remember that vibrations had been one of them, as apparently our closest relative in the wild was the red-eared slider which was famous for their ability to sense vibrations in the earth, detect whether they were in danger and make a quick get away if needed.

However we had never had this ability before and I couldn't figure out why it would suddenly start now, but on the other hand I had heard that it was something similar to _sonar_ and echo location was definitely _not _something I was going to complain about, especially not in our current situation.

After several minutes of trying to get use to this new sensation we started walking again but this time we would tap lightly on the wall as we moved, which allowed us to use our new-found super power to augment our location which would hopefully help us find a way out of this stupid place.

…

_(Raph's POV)_

When Donnie tapped on my shell a couple hours later I nearly jumped out of my skin. The sound level was still normal but the sensations that resonated though my body; made it feel like I was standing on a railroad with a train barreling up behind me.

I could practically sense him holding in his laugher but quickly laid his hand flat on my back to apologize anyway, before tapping his message out on my shoulder instead where it was only skin and muscle. I had noticed already that the vibrations seemed to have something to do with our _bones_ which obviously made our shells that much more sensitive. I just hoped it could be turned-off in the future since we were already adjusted to using our shells as a _shield_ in battle.

'Yeah; I'm _definitely _going to have him teach me more Morse-code.' I thought to myself as I struggled to figure out what my brother was trying to say until I felt him sigh and quietly tried again, only this time it was a lot slower and with less _words_.

I was quickly forming a list of things about this situation that I _really_ hated but my brother being stripped of his voice again was by far my _top_ entry and I swore to whatever god who took it upon himself to listen to me that someone somewherewould _pay_ for this.

'Bell?' I guessed trying to focus on his taps and translate them correctly. 'Hell? – no!' I groaned inwardly as it still eluded me. 'Shell?'

Oh man; Donnie was going to be _pissed_ when we finally got out of here, he _hated _repeating himself.

Then it hit me. '_Smell_!"

I quickly stopped blocking out the horrid odor and breathed normally again and realized right away that he was right. The smell was _gone_.

I felt him lean over my back and put his arm over my shoulder so I could feel the shape of his hand and quickly discovered that he was pointing at Leo. I gave him a thumbs-up in the same manner letting him know I got the message and quickly relayed to Leo about the mysterious disappearance of the stench.

Before long we were all aware of it and quickly started to search for the source, if the smell was suddenly gone it could only mean that it was _escaping_ somewhere and if we found where that was we might be able to get out of here.

It didn't take long at all for Mikey to notice something in the distance and pointed it out, to which Leo quickly started to lead us toward the thin glowing strip of _light_. As we got closer I had to squint at the sudden brightness but we could just _barely_ make it through, if we collected some real skinny thoughts.

It was then that I noticed that for some reason we were all _still_ hiding in the shadows like we were unconsciously trying to be a part of them.

We ended up huddled on one side of the exit and look through the crack to see what awaited us on the other side. Sunlight was a given but the _trees_ where new; which made me wonder just how far from the complex we had walked. However a second later I realized something else, the sun was about to _set_, which meant that we had been in this cave _all day_.

As we started to squeeze through the opening one at a time the sound of birds chirping and wind blowing became so _loud_ that we almost had to cover our ears and as I followed Leo into the open the light physically _hurt_ and I quickly darted into the shadows of the trees to escape it.

Donnie and Mikey followed shortly after and we all quickly hid nervously in the bushes where we tried to figure out where we were.

"Look!" Donnie stated suddenly and we all jumped about a foot, even him.

"It _figures_ you'd be the first to talk." I told him in a whisper. After we had all chilled out again he couldn't help but smile as the irony of that hit him as well.

"There." He said a little quieter this time and looking closer I was finally able to make out what he was pointing at, a _building_, but it was almost undetectable amongst the trees. Not even having to ask if we were up for it Leo quickly led the way.

Using trees, rocks and shadows to our advantage we quietly arrived at the structure then utilizing everything we had learned as ninja we snuck right up to the door without being detected.

Looking through a window I found they had all been covered with thick black sheets and I proceeded to glare at the offending piece of cloth until Leo clicked his tongue and Donnie immediately pulled out his lock picks and started working on the door while the rest of us stood watch. Less than a minute later a tiny click was heard and the door swung open slightly.

'He's really getting good at that.' I thought to myself before we all darted inside where we adjusted accordingly for the change in the floor. Though I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was happy to realize that the _vibrations_ had become noticeably relaxed, which was lucky for us as it appeared that they were only aggravatingly powerful when we were stripped of our other senses.

Being out in the open again they felt far more natural and allowed us to quickly determine if there were trick boards in the floor, traps in the walls and even informed us that there was a basement.

"Ok." Leo stated looking around at all the furniture covered in white sheets. "Now what?" He finished earning three shrugs from the rest of us. "Right." He muttered before focusing on a direction and led the way further into the building.

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

We snuck soundless across the floors instantly compensating for weight shifts and derby that might give our position away as we walked further into the little complex. After a minute of finding nothing of real significance I got curious and gently lifted one of the sheets over a large box-shaped something in the corner.

A large glass box reviled itself as it sat protecting valuable scrolls of washi-paper, suits of armor and weapons of all kinds and qualities and I realized that this place was probably another museum much like the White Phoenix castle had once been, only this one wasn't currently in use.

Mikey quietly clicked his tongue and we all immediately converged on his location where he quickly pointed out something down the hall and Leo moved to see what it was. After a second he turned back to our little brother and gave him a thumbs-up then started down the hall with Mikey, Raph and I right behind him.

Raph waited at the rear making sure that no one snuck up on us while our oldest brother arrived at the room Mikey had pointed out. How he had ever noticed that little bit of light from under the door was beyond me.

Leo made a couple hand signals and Raph and I quietly moved to the door. While he worked on the lock I used a little piece of glass from one of the broken windows and a stick to create a makeshift mirror and slowly pushed it under the door to check for any activity on the inside.

As far as I could tell no one was there, but I moved it around a little more in all directions to get a better view of the corners just in case. When I was finally certain that we were alone I nodded at Raph and he carefully opened the door and we all quickly moved inside before he closed it again.

Leaving it open ever so slightly he remained at the crack to watch for _visitors_, as Mikey and I took in the whole room looking for anything out of the ordinary while Leo quietly walked up to the center where a simple wooden pedestal waited for us on top of which was a small blue orb which was releasing the light we had seen before.

I checked all around the column for any kind of trap but none presented itself and quickly gave Leo the go-ahead and he carefully reached out to pick up the little ball causing everyone to freeze for a second in anticipation but as I suspected nothing happened.

Leo studied the sphere for a second before Mikey brought his attention back to the pedestal where a single sheet of paper sat in place of the orb and Leo quickly lifted the light to read it.

_Return this to its rightful place._

'Well that's not _vague_ or anything.' I thought to myself before Leo handed me the orb.

"You ever see it?" He asked in a quiet voice.

I studied the ball for another minute before giving him my answer. "I think –" I started as part of me wished that I was wrong. "It's from one of the stone Koi on the _roof _of the castle." Everyone winched slightly in response and I couldn't blame them.

That was going to be _very _difficult to return without being detected.

"Ok." Leo stated putting his chin in his hand as he walked back and forth in thought. "It'll be dark soon." He proclaimed before looking at me again and lowered his eyes to the orb. "Can you make that thing stop glowing?"

"I think it's solar powered." I proclaimed absent-mindedly and carefully twisted the two halves of the globe in opposite directions to open it and study the inside. "Yep." I said before gently pushing the little solar panel out of the way so I could unhook the wire connecting it to the light, almost immediately it went out and we were all once again left in darkness.

"Great." I heard Leo say before he started pacing again.

"Guys!" Raph whispered suddenly and we all silently made our way back to the door where we quickly picked up on _footsteps_ from the floor. If I had to guess it was coming from the display room and there were quite a few of them too.

In truth we hadn't met too many other ninjas over the years, mostly because we were too busy working on our training, however we _knew_ others lived at the castle we had seen them guarding the walls and outer forest, but they all had jobs to do I couldn't image why they would be out here looking for us.

But I couldn't see any reason why they _wouldn't_ utilize that kind of advantage either.

I quickly informed Leo of my thoughts and he nodded in agreement before quietly sticking his head out the door and looked down the hall toward the sound then proceeded to motion with one little wave and we all quickly followed him out of the room making sure to leave it exactly like we had found it.

We stuck close to the shadows as we circumnavigated the commotion in the main room and snuck out a side window before anyone could see us. We were quick to make it back into the trees and hid silently in the ever increasing shadows.

"Maybe another 15 minutes 'till dark." I informed Leo and he nodded again before looking around.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" He asked quietly while Raph and Mikey stood watch nearby.

"I'm pretty sure that building was a museum." I whispered putting my figures to my lips in thought. "And judging from how far we walked we could easily be half way to _Tokyo_ by now. But that tunnel was also _curved_ slightly." I added as an after thought as my brothers waited patently for me to put the pieces together.

I mentally pulled up and re-studied all the maps I had ever seen of the area trying to locate a tunnel that could have been the one we came out of. Of course I also had to take into account that these were _ninja_ we were talking about and that tunnel could have very easily been a secret passage that wouldn't have been on any map.

"Guys." I said a few minutes later and they all looked at me. "You're not going to like this, but I think we've been walking in _circles_."

…

_(Mikey's POV)_

"What?" Leo, Raph and I hissed at the same time trying not to make too much noise.

"I think that tunnel _started_ at the castle." Donnie explained. "It makes a lot of sense for a building like that to have a secret passage that could take someone to _other_ areas of Ueno Park."

"What are you getting at Donnie?" Leo asked silently.

"I think that's the _Iga-Ryū Ninja Museum_." Donnie guessed pointing at the little building we had just vacated.

"Donnie you're not making any sense." Raph grumbled.

"Well." He started again. "Either we were asleep for longer than we thought, we got _lost_ a few times, or we've been walking around the park all day."

"Oh for crying out loud." Raph swore under his breath. "How far are we from the castle?"

"8 minutes." Donnie revealed mildly annoyed.

"What?" We all demanded again.

"Like I said." He stated giving us a look. "We've been walking in _circles_."

"But if we passed that opening before I would have _seen_ it." I insisted knowing for a _fact _that I would have picked up on that light before even if we hadn't noticed the smell was gone first.

"Not if someone _blocked_ the hole." Donnie advised. "They obviously wanted us to be confused and disoriented, so they made us walk for most of the day giving the _illusion_ that we're father from the complex than we actually are."

I actually heard Raph _growl_ as he said that. "So they were just _toying_ with us?" He ground out between his teeth trying hard not to yell and give away our position.

"No." Leo stated then and we all looked at him. "This is a _test _remember? We wouldn't learn anything if it didn't at least _simulate _real life."

"He's right." Donnie agreed.

"Isn't he always?" Raph muttered sourly as he glared at a tree in annoyance.

Leo gave him a look out of the corner of his eye before turning back to Donnie. "Can you get us to the castle?" He asked softly.

Don just nodded and I suddenly felt a lot better, if _he_ knew where we were and where we were going than there wasn't any reason to worry. Leo was about to say something else when we all instinctively ducked lower as some small, barely noticeable vibrations travelled up our legs from the earth.

I had a second to think that it was a good thing we didn't wear shoes before Leo gave us another silent hand signal and we all followed him into the trees and navigated around the source of the noise, which turned out to be a few people stealth walking through the forest.

They obviously weren't ninja but they were still pretty damn silent, I had to wonder if we would have even known they were there without our new 6th sense.

'Or was it our 7th now? Shouldn't someone be keeping track of this stuff?'

When they were finally out of sight and out of range Leo gave us all a quiet click in our old language and Donnie immediately rose to follow his order and made his way to the front of the pack as he lead us to the castle while Leo, Raph and I kept constant vigil so he could work without any distractions.

We passed several other ninja-_esque_ individuals looking for us in the woods, but thankfully they weren't very skilled, however after about 10 minutes I had already counted up to 24 of them. There was no way there were that many people living at the castle they had to be coming from somewhere else.

By the time we could finally see the walls of our home it was dark and Donnie suddenly stopped to crouch down in the bushes where we all gathered behind him quietly as he pointed to the top of the largest keep, where we quickly made out a bunch of other little glowing spheres.

We had grown use to seeing them there over the years however there was _one_ in particular that should have had a little blue light; but _didn't_. I quickly pointed it out to my brothers and Leo zeroed in on it with a nod.

We decided to wait a little longer for it to get truly dark while also giving Leo a chance to organize a plan to get us in undetected however he never got the chance to voice it.

Before we even realized what happened several black forms suddenly descended on us from the trees and we knew immediately that _these_ _guys_ were _ninjas_, we could tell by their fighting style that they were professionals.

We fought them off briefly and were doing pretty good until _more_ showed up and I could hear and feel more descending in on us from all directions, obviously drawn by the sound of fighting.

"Retreat!" Leo hissed loud enough for us to hear and we quickly detached ourselves from the fight to hide in the shadows again and ran.

I could sense my brothers running away in different directions trying to confuse our adversaries but I could also feel the vibrations of enemies swiftly catching up with them.

However I had to bring my attention back to my own present and dodge under someone's attempt to clothes-line me before swiftly kicking out at the person hiding in the bush. He or she let out a pained little yelp as I continued to run. Barely making it through several more attacks I eventually came up to a wide open area and hide behind two trees.

I ducked as far into the ground as possible when another person ran by my location a second later and took a minute to steady my breathing so he wouldn't find me. Making sure to take special care to check the trees this time I moved out again when I was sure no one was there, then staying low and quite I headed back for the castle knowing that my brothers would return there too.

Several minutes later after endless dodges into bushes and countless _almost-_encounters with more ninja or random people I arrived back at the wall where I could sense my brothers moving closer and closer however they were still too far to be of any assistance, so I waited.

I immediately ducked down again when something moved on my left and made sure to lower the nictitating membrane of my eyes so the glow of the nano-bots wouldn't give me away.

A second later a shadow that was far too large to be one of my brothers meandered from the tree line and I started to become nervous as whoever it was moved slower and slower almost like he was _looking_ for something and I had to wonder if it was possible that he knew I was there?

However before I could dwell on that for longer than a second I couldn't stop myself from _yelping _in shock when my shoulder suddenly felt like it was on fire.

It was just a _phantom_ pain, one I was used to, however it had never been quite this _bad_ before. But all that concern washed away when I realized what it meant, one of my brothers was _hurt_.

Having given away my location I ran as the shadow suddenly charged me but I didn't get very far before another quickly reached out of nowhere and trapped me in a headlock.

I struggled as the ninja, who I was pretty sure was a _mutant_, pushed harder against my windpipe in an attempt to cut off my air supply. I instinctively started breathing internally like I did when I was underwater and continued to fight my captor until I was finally able to twist just enough to kick at his chest and knocked the wind out of his lungs.

When his grip loosed I immediately disentangled myself from his arms and flipped over his shoulder to dart away from the scene. However this time I didn't even see the attack coming before the mutant's partner suddenly materialized behind me to hit the back of my neck and I lost consciousness before I hit the ground.

* * *

R&amp;R


	6. Chapter 5

I do not own Ninja Turtles, just borrowing

* * *

Chapter 5:

_(Leo's POV)_

I couldn't help but groan as I came to and shook my head trying to dislodge the little colored dots from my vision.

"Leo." I heard Donnie whisper and I immediately sat up however I only succeeded in being tugged back by a rope that had been tightly wound around my plastron and upper arms.

"Ow." Mikey wined immediately and I froze.

"Hey." I heard Raph argue from my left. "That _hurts_." He complained.

"Sorry." I quickly said trying to calm myself down so I wouldn't put any more strain on my brothers, who were obviously all attached to me in some way by the ropes binding us. "Is everyone alright?"

"My shoulder hurts." Raph professed and I quickly tried to turn around to see the damage.

"Leo!" Donnie companied instantly to my right.

"Sorry, sorry." I said returning to my pervious position and took a deep breath before asking. "How bad is it?"

"Not _too_ bad. It's hard to move it though." Raph reported.

"What happened?" Donnie asked.

"One of those guys jumped out of nowhere and I dodged into a tree." Raph stated grumpily and I quickly tried to hold in my giggles but failed miserably.

"I heard that." He growled in return.

"You never were very _graceful_." Mikey proclaimed from directly behind me.

"Shut it." Raph yelled with a violent jerk as he tried to retaliate and Donnie and I immediately felt the tension as ropes pulled and yanked at us sadistically.

"Raph!" I ordered in my leader voice and he quickly relaxed again.

"Ow." Donnie stated slightly winded as we were righted again.

"Sorry." Raph declared in frustration.

"Okay _enough_ apologizing." I commanded quickly getting their attention. "Let's get _out_ of here."

"What's the point?" Raph proclaimed sourly. "They caught us, we _failed_."

"No we _haven't_." I insisted. "Not _yet_."

"He's got a point." Donnie suddenly said softly and I turned as far as I dared to look at him. "The _stated _mission was only to return the orb; it never said anything about not being captured or even avoiding detection for that matter."

"I would think that's a given." Raph announced.

"Maybe." Donnie admitted and I saw his head lower slightly but whether it was in defeat or thought I couldn't really tell. "I was just saying that this could still be part of the test and we shouldn't make any assumptions until we've been told differently." He added.

"Exactly." I agreed. "So until we know for sure, we keep going." I ordered.

"Then what's the plan, Leo?" Mikey asked quietly.

"We get out and continue the mission." I proclaimed.

"Easier-said-than-done, bro" Raph stated grumpily.

"No one _said_ it would be easy, but now we have the element of _surprise_." I reported and everyone gave me their full attention. "They'll have their guard down and now we don't have to _sneak in_ either."

"Good point." Mikey professed.

"Okay." I said again preparing myself to conquer this challenge. "Who can move what and how far can you move it?" I asked and we proceeded to spend several minutes trying to muddle out our predicament.

From what I could tell everyone's hands were tied behind their backs and connected to the wrists of the person on their right, while the rope around our plastrons were tied to the person directly behind us.

"Ok." I said gently moving my wrists toward Donnie.

"What are you doing?" Raph asked.

"Does that hurt?" I asked right back ignoring his question for the moment.

"No." He stated slightly confused.

"Mikey." I said immediately.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Lean _back_ and to your _left_ as far as you can."

"Gotcha." He said and we all felt him carefully get to his knees as he pushed and pulled himself into position.

"Donnie." I called and felt him turn slightly to receive my instructions. "Lean back and to your _right_."

"K." He answered gently getting up as well trying desperately not to hurt us in the process.

"Okay stop." I stated when I felt the pull and he did so. "Raph; lean _back_."

I felt him hesitate for a second as he tried to figure out what I was doing but quickly started to lean backwards against Donnie as I leaned into the place where he had been until I heard their shells connect and promptly smiled.

"Now what, chief?" Mikey asked from his awkward position.

"Raph, can you reach Donnie's hands?"

"Yeah." Donnie answered instead and I could tell from his distracted voice that he had picked up on the plan and was quickly working to remove the ropes from Raph's wrists as well.

"Mikey." I said again. "On three, _stand_ _up_." I ordered getting into position myself.

"Wait, we stand up on 3 or count to 3 and stand up?" He asked distractedly and I glared at the wall in response.

"_Don't_ start that again!" I growled at him. "We stand _on _3."

"Right." He declared.

"Donnie?" I asked trying to look at him.

"Almost got it." Raph reported and I was glad to hear that it sounded like all my brothers were on-board with my plan and it took only another minute for them to finally give the OK.

"On 3 Mikey." I stated and I felt him nod. "1, 2, _3_." My youngest brother and I instantly attempted to rise to our full height thus dragging the rope that held us together right up between our other two brothers, whose own line was caught on top and was promptly pulled up along with us.

We all immediately felt discomfort and pain but worked past it as Donnie quickly brought his free hand out and pushed up on the cord around his plastron. With a little help from the extra height added to the secondary restriction he was able to slip right out of it.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Mikey whined as his arm was pulled.

"Sorry." Donnie declared quickly moving to free his other hand before standing all the way up and started working to free the rest of us until we were finally free again where we quickly started assessing the rest of our situation.

…

_(Raph's POV)_

The strong steel bars of the castle's dungeon barricaded the entrance to our cell but Leo didn't seem all that concerned as he zeroed in on the window instead.

"Mikey, can you fit through that?" He asked still watching the window with interest.

"Not with those _bars_ in the way." Mikey commented miserably.

"Raph?" Leo asked me and I groaned.

"I'm going to need my _other_ arm." I reported looking sourly at my right hand as it hung uselessly at my side.

Leo nodded in agreement before turning to Donnie who would be the only one of us that had any idea about how to fix this particular problem.

"It's dislocated." He announced after checking it over thoroughly. "I can put it back, but it's gonna _hurt_." He added quietly giving me a sympathetic look in the process.

"Can't be any worse than it is _now_." I hissed from between my teeth.

"There's probably someone on the other side of that door." Mikey added studying the main entrance to the room.

"So be _quiet_, got it." I muttered as Leo moved over to hold my left side so I didn't move around too much until Donnie was satisfied that I was as relaxed as I was going to get and gently started to raise my arm before slowly bending the elbow at a 90 degree angle.

After a minute he finally began to apply traction away from my body which caused me to scream inwardly as I struggled to hold still. Leo rubbed my shell in an attempt to sooth the pain but it really didn't help as much as he probably hoped it would have.

"Give me the weight." Donnie instructed gently and I did what I could to oblige him.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" I asked through gritted teeth as he slowly began to rotate my elbow.

"I watched Roku do it." He proclaimed distractedly. "_Once_."

I honestly wasn't sure if that should make me feel better or worse but then again this was _Donnie_ we were talking about, _once _was all he ever really needed. But on the other hand he'd never been real confident about things that caused us pain even if he knew it would help in the long run.

I turned to smile at him anyway when he seemed to pick up on my hesitation and he quickly met my eyes with an apologetic stare before crudely throwing his own body into my shoulder causing a sickening _*pop*_ to resonate through the room.

_ '_Well I've been wrong before, maybe the pain _could _be worse.'

It was nothing compared to what I had to endure at the lab but it still hurt like a muther. Leo quickly moved in to share his mental strength with me as well as catch me before I hit the ground while Donnie kept reminding me to breathe as he carefully rubbed my shoulder blade causing the agony to slowly recede.

As I focused on Donnie's touch he carefully searched for any anomalies under my skin while at the same time soothing the pain as much as he could until finally it had dulled to only a slight ache and a pounding sensation in my muscles.

"I'm alright." I gritted as my brothers gently helped me back to my feet but continued to watch me worriedly.

It took Leo a minute but he finally nodded in agreement and began a movement to start a pyramid under the window. In a matter of seconds I had been hosted up to the hole where I quickly griped two of the bars and started to pull them in opposite directions.

I swore under my breath when the ache returned with a vengeance but I ignored it until the distinctive sound of bending metal groaned throughout the room and I quickly moved to focus on one of them; bending it further outward before doing the same with the other.

"Okay." I said when I was satisfied with my work and Mikey; who had not been a part of the turtle step ladder jumped up to me where I quickly grabbed his hand and held him up as he squeezed through to the other side.

"Well?" Leo asked from underneath us.

"Working on it." Mikey assessed sticking his head through the window and quickly looked around for his next stepping stone. "Hey guys." He suddenly stated before stuffing himself back through the window to sit on the sill in order to take the pressure off the rest of us. "I just _remembered_ something."

The rest of us couldn't help but groan in response; whenever he said something like that it always meant trouble.

"What?" I asked trying to level out my weight a little so my brothers wouldn't be so squished.

"What about the _ball_?" He asked curiously and we all froze in horror.

"You gotta be kidding me." I growled throwing my hands in the air. "All this and we _still _can't win."

"We haven't lost yet, Raph." Leo stated. "It's here in the complex we just need to find it."

"Actually, I know _exactly_ where it is." Donnie suddenly reported and we all looked at him in shock.

"Don't tell me you're a mind reader now too." I joked.

"No." He answered simply. "I threw it over the wall before I was caught." He proclaimed.

"You did _what_?" We all insisted at once.

"Relax! I'm not an _idiot_." He assured us quickly though obviously slightly annoyed about having to tell us so. "I made sure to pick an area that would cushion it and nobody saw me."

"You're _sure_?" Leo asked almost by instinct and Donnie gave him a look. "Right." Leo agreed nervously. "And you can _find_ it again?" He asked instead.

"Yes." Don reported sternly.

"Alright." Mikey hooted. "Plan B is still in effect." He proclaimed before moving to stick his head out the window again and I quickly grabbed his leg fearful that he would fall. "I think we can scale the wall, it's really – _lumpy_." He reported a minute later.

"Go for it." Leo instructed. "We'll be right behind you."

Mikey quickly turned back and nodded at me and I let him go so he could maneuver out the window and onto the wall.

"Mikey?" I asked nervously when I could no longer see him. Images of my youngest brother falling to his death and his crushed form on the street below nearly made me leap out the window after him.

"I'm ok." His slightly distorted voice answered back through the walls and I sighed in relief.

"Raph, you next." Leo ordered and I nodded at him before pulling myself through the window. It was a little tighter fit than Mikey's had been but I managed somehow and quickly found my way out onto the outer ledge. Looking around I was able to locate Mikey clinging to the wall like a fly about 3 feet away all the while featuring one of his big stupid grins.

He pointed out the steps he had taken to get to that point and I followed along noting that this would have been a lot easier if we had our climbing tools, but I guess we had to make do with what we had.

A minute later Donnie appeared on the ledge as well before turning back around to help Leo up and soon we were all scaling the wall around a corner and toward our goal.

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

Less than a minute later Mikey clicked at us and we all froze as a guard walked by almost directly over our heads. I thought for sure we had been found out but a second later he had meandered right by us without a clue.

"OoooK." Raph muttered quietly in confusion. "Not that I'm complaining, but – _why_ aren't we captured again?" He added.

"They're _not_ ninja." Mikey proclaimed suddenly and we all turned to look at him as he pointing around a corner where another couple of guards were walking by in another area. "These guys aren't even _trying_ to be quiet." He observed and I couldn't help but agree with him.

Even as new as we were to Ninjutsu we had already begun to _unconsciously_ remain silent in everything we did, heck we even avoided creaks in the floor when we were heading to the bathroom first thing in the morning. It was no longer something that we could just turn-off and we were the _youngest_ in the complex, there was no way older more experienced ninja would have just _forgotten_ that little detail.

It accrued to me then that there were still _hundreds _of other people that had been trained in self-defense who lived in the nearby towns and cities. It probably wouldn't have been difficult for the elders to track them down and say 'Hey we got four little turtles we need to torment, would you mind bringing your friends and standing around this area all night?'

Okay so maybe the elders would have made it sound a little _wiser_ but that was beyond the point. These people may not be _ninjas_ but what they lacked in skill they more than made up for in _numbers_.

"So where are all the ninjas than?" Raph asked quietly after I had relayed my guesses to the rest of the team.

"I don't know." Leo admitted looking around like he expected one to walk through a wall somewhere. "But keep your guard up, I don't _care_ if they're not ninja we _treat _them like they _are_." He ordered.

We all nodded in agreement before starting our wall climbing again this time working extra hard to stay as silent and undetected as possible. As we neared our objective several minutes later we had successfully managed to avoid over _30_ close calls. Not bad considering the castle wasn't even a mile in diameter.

However shortly after I had pointed out the orb's location we had to quickly duck back behind a corner to avoid detection again which was how I nearly started a one way slide down the side of the castle when a section of stone gave way under my foot.

Leo and Raph managed to grab my arms and I froze as we waited for the guard to leave again.

"Watch your footing." Leo ordered as they hosted me back up.

"I did, I watched it _fall_ _away_." I proclaimed sourly causing Mikey and Raph to struggle to hold in their laugher.

"Just keep going." Leo commanded sternly.

"Yes sir; Mr. Happy sir." Mikey announced with a sloppy salute and started moving again. After another minute we found a corner to rebound off of and quietly made our way to the ground where we ducked under a bush as yet _another _guard walked by.

"This is nuts." Mikey commented as he looked around and quickly spotted several more. "Since when do all these people live here?"

"I don't think they _do_." Leo stated before turning back to me. "Where to?"

"The pond." I answered pointing at the large pound that we had become quite accustomed to over the years. It was deep and set close to the wall which was part of the reason why I chose it as the landing zone for the orb. The ball wouldn't have been damaged in the fall and the water was deep enough that no one but _us_ was likely to find it.

Without another word Leo started into the neighboring bushes and we followed quickly. Jumping from bush to bush we gradually got closer and closer until we were finally near enough that Raph and I could dive into water, leaving Mikey and Leo behind as lookouts.

It only took a minute before I was able to point out the globe's location in the murky depths, glad that I had thought to reactivate the _light_ before tossing it. Raph got there first and gently picked it up and handed it to me to be checked for damage to which I was happy to report that there was none.

I used our old language to instruct him to remove his shirt and carefully wrapped it around the orb so the light wouldn't be noticed as we resurfaced and proceeded to follow him back to dry land to rendezvous with our brothers again.

We stealthily made our way back to the nearest bush and I gave Leo a thumbs-up to which he nodded before pointing to the top of the castle where the end of our challenge awaited.

…

_(Mikey's POV)_

"I'm open to suggestions." Leo proclaimed as we arrived back in the deeper shadows a few minute later and quickly scurried inside a building before we were spotted by another guard.

"How 'bout that?" I asked quietly and pointed toward a spot in the room. They all turned to look at the object of my interest and after a second smiled at my clever little mind before hurrying over to extract some _shuko spikes_ from one of the display cases.

"So what happens if we get caught _twice_?" I couldn't help but ask as we ran to the stairs and started up to the observation deck.

"Probably repeat the year." Raph guessed looking behind us about every three steps or so like he expected the paintings to come alive or something.

"I'd really rather _not_, if it's all the same to you guys." Leo declared as we arrived at the top floor and he meticulously checked around the corner for any randomly dropping ninja before giving the order to move-out.

Of course we couldn't help but agree with him as we cautiously fanned out onto the floor trying to locate a window that would serve our purpose. Looking out one in particular I found that the outer wall was almost straight vertical which we could work with but it was when I looked _down_ that I realized it was the perfect place.

Calling them over again; we swiftly maneuvered out onto the wall and silently scaled our way to the top of the castle where Leo quickly held up his hand in a fist. Knowing that we had likely just run across some more guards me, Donnie and Raph stopped immediately and looked around for the trouble.

A minute later Leo told us via turtle-speak of his plan which caused Raph to nod in agreement before gently passing the little globe over to me; which I held protectively to my plastron taking about as much care as I possibly could to not damage the thing.

"Now!" Leo commanded once we were all in position and we all jumped the rest of the way to the roof and made a bee-line for the edge of the building.

"Hey!" We heard someone yell but Leo handled quickly with a coil of rope he had thought to keep from our capture, throwing it right in the guy's face the poor dude nearly fell off the building in shock but was swiftly saved by his comrades.

Thankfully for us the distraction gave us just enough time to race to the edge of the roof where a single large koi statue sat facing toward the east and was conveniently _missing_ its scared blue orb.

Donnie and Raph guarded me from both sides quickly taking out the two other guards in my path thus allowing me to stay focused on my task as I carefully unwrapped the orb, maneuvered into a skidding and was just able to secure it in the place before the ancient fish as I started sliding down the steep incline.

Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of time to celebrate my achievement as my speed quickly began to pick up and I looked back to make sure my brothers were still with me.

Donnie and Raph were barely a foot in my wake while Leo had just started his own slide and I would have laughed had the situation not been so crazy when I saw our fake enemies pausing momentarily in shock.

Obviously they had _not_ expected us to jump off the very top of a building with little regard for our safety. Splinter always did say 'there is no greater weapon than the unexpected.'

As we slid one by one right off the roof I quickly turned myself in mid air and aimed for the channel below. Wall climbing and heights may not have been our thing but _water _was.

I hit hard but my shell protected me from harm and allowed me to quickly pull out of the dive before I did a face plant into the bottom of the river. A second later I felt two more forms hit the water and take immediate turns to avoid the collision as well.

Donnie, Raph and I reconvened in a matter of seconds and waited impatiently for Leo; who finally broke the surface a full second later. However his form was unbalanced and he wasn't able to control his momentum, obviously something or someone had _interrupted_ his take off.

But it was all good as we were quickly able to move into his path to catch and cushion his fall. Though the force of his crash drove us all to the bottom of the river again we managed to slow our descent enough to break away without injury.

Leo immediately turned to assure that we were all okay before ordering us to move out again and a minute later we had located a decent position to extract ourselves from the water and remained hidden in the underbrush waiting for whatever was supposed to happen next.

"So – did we win?" I asked quietly looking around for all the people that had been right on our tails mere moments ago.

"I don't know." Leo admitted.

"It remains to be seen." We nearly jumped back into the river when a voice spoke right behind us and we turned to find Splinter casually sitting on a rock like he had simply decided that the area was a good place for a cup of tea.

"Father?" Leo asked trying to calm his breathing but not really succeeding. "Wha – what now?" He added in confusion.

Splinter just smiled and stood before leading the way around the water toward the castle's entrance, speaking only one thing in the process. "We shall find out."

…

_(Splinter:)_

Splinter led the way as they walked among the chaos of trainees' and ninjas meandering about in all directions under the watchful eyes of a million lights that no-doubt made the _secret _castle visible from space.

"_Kame_!" Came a booming voice and all four turtles jumped nearly a foot as they turned to assess the threat. Splinter honestly couldn't have been more proud of them; he remembered when he himself had taken his Chuunin exam, he and his team had remained on edge and jumpy for _weeks_ afterwards.

"It is alright my sons." He assured them as Roku walked up with a big smile on his face.

"Look at our lil' ninja, all grown up." The bear mutant declared earning glares from Leo and Raph, mostly Raph. "Ah; I'm gonna miss my lil' Genin." Roku continued as he wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Hey." Raph retaliated immediately but was quickly interrupted by his brother.

"Does that mean we _passed_?" Donnie asked causing his siblings to look at the bear in sudden understanding shock.

"Did I say that?" Roku asked innocently clearly trying to change the subject.

"Loose lips sink ships, Roku-san" A voice proclaimed behind them and everyone turned to find Ichi and Shichi walking up as well. "Maybe you should try _mime_ and spare us all the headache of having to _listen_ to you." Shichi continued with her joke.

"Splinter-san?" Ichi asked at the moment. "Please bring your children, there is much to discus." He requested and Splinter nodded.

"Come my sons." He said gathering the turtles and turned to leave Shichi and Roku to argue amongst themselves.

…

All four of his sons immediately knelt on the cushions respectfully as they entered the conference room and Splinter couldn't help but smile at them for it. They obviously understood the seriousness of the situation even Michelangelo was as still as he had ever seen him.

"How is your arm, Raphael?" Ichi asked the little hot-head as he sat down at the head of the table.

Raph nearly jumped out of his skin at being addressed and rubbed his right shoulder experimentally. "It's ok." He answered quietly; obviously he had forgotten all about the pain until that moment.

"You did well to push past your own suffering for the sake of your team." Ichi declared and Raph smiled.

"And you as well, Donatello." The tiger added causing said turtle to jump. "I was not _aware_ that you were receiving medical training." He added.

"I – I'm not." The child admitted and Ichi smiled again.

"All the same, you did very well." The tiger stated and Donnie smiled back embarrassingly. "And heard that _your_ keen eyes were quite useful, Michelangelo." The older mutant continued looking toward the youngest now, which caused Mikey to immediately sit up straighter.

"Yeah?" He asked excitedly before quickly returning to a more respectful position. "I mean – thank you." He corrected with a bow.

Ichi laughed warmly at the display before finally turning to Leo. "Leonardo, you led your brothers well. You adapted to a strange situation, received a change of task without question, avoided detection and adjusted for a major set back." He proclaimed slowly before adding. "And you _accomplished_ your goal."

"Thank you Elder Ichi." Leo stated somewhat unsure of himself. "But – I couldn't have done it without my brothers."

Splinter smiled yet again as it became clear that his oldest son had learned the _unspoken_ lesson in leadership. 'To never forget the ones that _made_ him a leader.'

Ichi nodded at him in agreement and finally turned to look at all of them. "You have accomplished a great victory today." He proclaimed. "Do you feel you have _earned _the right to carry the title of Chuunin?"

The turtles seemed taken aback by that question but of course that had been the _purpose_ of the query.

"Yes." Raph declared suddenly as if that were the most stupid question in the history of the world.

"Raph!" Leo hissed clearly unamused with his attitude.

"Do you not agree with your brother?" Ichi asked immediately and Leo jumped at being called out.

"I –" He started looking at the table as he thought that over. "I do." He finally answered. "I _do_ feel that we earned it." He extended with confidence yet still remained respectful.

"I know we got _caught_, but –" Mikey added a little unsure if he should be talking. "But we worked hard and we _finished_ the mission."

Ichi nodded as he absorbed that before turning to address the only turtle who had not yet spoken. "What say you, Donatello?" He asked.

"I think they're right." Donnie answered shyly. "The note only said to return the orb; it never said anything about remaining undetected." The elder seemed to think about that for a minute leaving the turtles to get more and more nervous as the seconds wore on.

"You all have given excellent arguments." He answered finally before adding simply. "_You pass_."

"What?" They all asked at once causing Ichi and Splinter to laugh.

"You were to be tested on everything you have been taught, and you _were_." The mutant tiger answered after a minute. "But it would not be a _test_ if you had not _learned_ something."

"So what did we learn?" Mikey asked totally confused.

"_Confidence_." Ichi answered immediately. "Not only in yourselves and your skills but also in your ability to take _pride_ in what you can accomplish together." The white tiger paused momentarily to let that sink in. "Faith in your own power is _required_ if you ever wish to get _stronger_." He explained. "And the rank of Chuunin is the _embodiment_ of that faith."

"I get it." Mikey stated putting the pieces together as he counted them off on his fingers. "Chuunin are stronger, so if we want to be Chuunin we have to be stronger and to do that we need – _confidence_?" He asked suddenly unsure and scratched his head in thought.

Ichi laughed lightly to himself before answering. "Close enough." He then turned to look at Splinter and gave him a little nod which the old rat returned before standing up to walk toward the back of the room where a small table sat holding an intricately carved wooden box.

He carefully opened said box and smiled at its contents before looking back at his sons. "Come." He said to them gently and they immediately got to their feet to kneel in front of him in the order of oldest to youngest, just like they had been taught.

He smiled again and waited for Ichi to take his seat beside the little table giving his permission for the ceremony to begin.

"Leonardo." The tiger said suddenly and said turtle turned to look at him so fast he should have gotten whip-lash. "Stand?" He asked and the child slowly did as he was told and walked toward him. Ichi informed him to remain standing when he tried to kneel again before waving Splinter over.

Leo watched as his father approached and stood in front of him before kneeling down to his level. "For Leonardo." He recited and calmly presented him with a perfect blue _ninja mask_. "Blue; the color of _water_." He stated and carefully lifted the mask to his face. "The element of calmness and adaption." He continued as he tied it gently in the back before placing his hands on Leo's shoulders. "The makings of a great man and a great commander." He added with a proud smile.

When he was given permission to leave Leo quickly returned to his spot beside his brothers obviously unable to keep from smiling as he turned excitedly to let them see the new addition. At which point he noticed the small white marking on one of the mask's tails and lifted it up to read the Japanese kanji for '_Captain.'_ (大尉)

"Raphael." Ichi called suddenly and said turtle jumped from his spot so fast the floor must have been spring loaded. "Your skill and power make you a great asset to _any_ team." Ichi continued. "But your position on _this_ team is given should you choose to accept it."

Raph just nodded slowly obviously a little unsure of what that was supposed to mean, but the tiger quickly smiled again before presenting him with the answer.

"Weapon's Specialist." Raphael's confusion quickly started to melt into a grin as that sank in. "Do you accept?" Ichi asked again.

"Yeah." Raph proclaimed excitedly as if that was a stupid question and Ichi gave him a somewhat surprised look. "I mean –" Raph started again. "Yes Elder." He proclaimed with a bow and the tiger laughed lightly before waving to Splinter once again who approached immediately.

"For Raphael." Splinter stating getting his attention again and presented him with a deep _red_ ninja mask. "Red; the color of _fire_." Splinter explained gently lifting the mask to his face like he had done with Leo. "The element of power and passion." He stated and carefully tied it in the back before smiling again. "The markings of a protector, a hunter and a _guardian_."

When Raph too was given leave to return to his seat all he could do was gently stroke the soft material of his new mask and read and reread the kanji sign for '_Warrior._'(戦士) sewn onto one of the tails.

"Donatello." Ichi called next and said turtle stood up to stand in front of the tiger as well.

"You posses one of the _sharpest_ minds I have ever witnessed as well as one of the _kindest_ hearts I have ever known. These will serve you well when your team must be reminded of _who_ they are." Ichi explained gently.

"Your position on this team should you choose to accept." He continued after a second. "Special Operations Officer." He stated causing Donnie to look at him slightly surprised. "I have _no_ _doubt_ you have what it takes to perform such a _widespread_ position." Ichi added smiling at him warmly. "Do you accept?"

Donnie considered that for a minute like he did everything, but quickly looked back up and answered. "Yes."

Ichi smiled at him again before waving his hand toward Splinter and his father came to stand in front of him as well where he calmly presented him with a _purple _mask.

"For Donatello." Splinter started again. "Purple; the color of _spirit_." He stated tying the mask securely. "The element of knowledge and wisdom." He continued before gently placing his hands on Donnie's shoulders. "A promise of great things and _endless_ possibility."

Donnie was practically glowing when he returned to his seat and Mikey quickly reached out to touch the fabric around his eyes, feeling the soft almost silk-like texture and reading the kanji word on the tail that stood for '_Architect_.'( 建築家)

"Michelangelo." The youngest turtle jumped when he heard his name and turned to find Ichi smiling and waiting patently for him to rise. Donnie had to give him a gentle push before he could stand on his own and then nervously approached the High Elder.

"Many children have passed through these walls." Ichi started. "But none quite as playful or rambunctious as you." He proclaimed obviously making Mikey a little nervous. "However these are your _greatest_ assets." He continued causing the turtle to look up at him in complete shock. "A jokester is often the most _observant_ and a prankster is often the most _cunning_." He added with a smile.

"Your position on this team should you choose to accept." The white tiger continued. "Information Gatherer." Ichi waited a second for a response but when he received none he continued. "Do you acc–" He began.

"Yes." Mikey interrupted him and quickly smiled in apology but Ichi merely laughed lightly in acceptance before waving toward Splinter one last time and the youngest turned excitedly to receive his _orange _ninja mask.

"For Michelangelo." Splinter started with a smile. "Orange; the color of _air_." He explained. "The element of freedom and play." He proclaimed gently tying the mask behind his head as he spoke. "A capacity for incomparable potential and an eternal spirit."

When Mikey too was given permission to leave he was nearly radiating with pure happiness and gently petted the bandana tail lying over his shoulder as he grinned at the little kanji symbol for '_Scout_.' (斥候)

"Congratulations." Ichi proclaimed and they all looked back at him as he spoke. "You are now officially Chuunin." Before he could say anything else however all four of them jumped to their feet and cheered, leaving the old tiger to smile tiredly and turn to give Splinter a knowing look. "What say you; Yoshi-san?"

Splinter grinned again as he watched his sons continued to celebrate before finally answering. "I'd say the future looks _bright_."

* * *

R&amp;R

Please


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Year 7 – Age 11

_(Mikey's POV)_

"Not _this _again." I groaned loudly as I face-planted into the desk. "What is it with them and making us _wait_?"

"Just stay on-guard." Leo proclaimed calmly from his position near the door. "We don't want a repeat of last time."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I muttered before leaning my chair back on its back legs so I could survey the space. It was the same room where we had; had our fight with Roku and become Genin and apparently just like that time the elders meant to make us wait around for _another_ three hours. "We should have brought some cards or something." I told the ceiling miserably, this was so not how I had planed to spend my 11th hatch-day.

"And that would help us stay on-guard _how _exactly?" Donnie asked turning to give me a look as he stood watch by the window.

"Who said anything about that?" I proclaimed. "I just want something to _do_."

"_I_ did." Leo stated simply choosing to ignore my last statement in order to answer the absent-minded question.

I froze briefly before turning back around to give him an innocent smile. "Right." I declared as he gave me a disapproving look. Thankfully I was spared from further embarrassment by a quiet knock on the door and he immediately turned to listen for the signal before opening it to admit our missing brother.

"Anything?" Leo asked after he had closed the door again.

"There isn't a single person in the entire building." Raph announced grouchily folding his arms in a huff. "You think this is some kind of test?" He asked.

Leo mulled that over momentarily. "A test in _patience_ maybe." He stated before walking back over to the desks and stationed himself in his seat again. "Just stay sharp, looks like we'll be here a while."

I immediately groaned loudly and leaned forward to bang my head against the desk again. "But I _hate _waiting, it's so boring." I protested just before Raph whacked me on the back of the head.

"Well your _complaining_ isn't going to _help_." He proclaimed loudly while simultaneously squishing my face into the wood.

"And neither is your _yelling_." Donnie added carefully extracting Raph from my head thus allowing to me escape from his clutches.

"Yeah; what he said." I agreed pointing at Donnie.

"Mikey!" Leo declared dangerously. "We need to stay _focused_."

"Yeah, ya never know what might sneak up on ya." Roku's voice suddenly stated and we all immediately took up a defensive position on the opposite side of the room to face our possible attackers. However it was only Ichi, Roku, Shichi and Splinter who were doing nothing more than walking casually through the door.

"Okay seriously, how do they _do _that?" Raph asked quietly causing the elders to smile.

"It is alright my sons." Splinter stated as they all took a seat. "Please; sit with us." He requested and my brothers and I all looked at each other momentarily before walking over to do as he said.

"So now what?" I had to ask after another minute of silence.

"We must wait for one more." Ichi proclaimed calmly. "He will be here momentarily." He explained and I groaned again as we all sat back to _wait_ some more.

…

After several minutes I was beginning to think this other guy was a no-show and was about to say as much when the door suddenly opened to admit another individual which had us all turning to see who it was.

"Forgive me." The man stated as he meandered across the room with the help of a long cane. "I'm not as young as I once was." He continued before reaching up to pull back the hood of his cloak.

"It is of no concern, old friend." Ichi assured him. "We're in no hurry." He added, however my brothers and I were a little too preoccupied with this new person to listen to his speech.

"Olcadan?" Donnie suddenly proclaimed in surprise and we all turned our shocked expression on him instead.

"You _know_ him?" Raph asked quietly.

My slightly older brother rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and admitted his guilt with a forced little smile. "Well – _yeah_ – kind a."

"Donatello." The old mutant said as he too took a seat. "You have been well I hope?" He asked and my brother quickly turned back to smile at him.

"Yeah." He answered simply before Ichi interrupted the reunion.

"As you are aware." He started getting our attention again. "You will now begin training to better master your individual _positions_." He explained and we all nodded. "We have located four teachers who we believe will best suit your needs. But keep in mind that you are not _bound _by our judgment."

He let us mull that over for a second before going on. "You are Chuunin now and leaders in your own right. If you feel there is someone better suited to train you we will not stop you from taking your own path." He paused for another second to make sure we understood. "You are no longer children and as such it is no longer our place to lead you, we are now only your _guides_."

"So –" Raph started. "We don't have to be here?"

"If that is what you want." Ichi proclaimed and motioned toward the door. "We will not stop you from leaving."

"No, no, no." Raph immediately corrected. "I didn't mean I wanted to leave. I was just – _asking_." Ichi smiled warmly at him before holding up a hand to ensure that all was well.

"Well since yur so gung-ho I guess we'll start with _you_." Roku proclaimed suddenly giving my brother a sadistic grin. After a minute Raph seemed to understand the silent message the bear mutant was attempting to speak and bolted straight out of his chair in a rage.

"You gotta be kidding." He practically yelled. "I gotta train with _you_?"

Ichi laughed lightly to himself before speaking. "It would seem you have made quite the impression on this one; Roku-san." He stated causing the mutant bear to fold his arms in a huff and glare at the wall.

"I don' know what ya mean." He proclaimed sourly to which Ichi just smiled again before quietly turning back to watch Raph as he cooled down.

"If you do not wish to continue Raphael, we will not stop you. But please keep in mind that Roku can help you master many aspects of yourself that you may not be able to control _alone_."

I noticed Raph absent-mindedly rubbing his fist as he seemed to seriously consider the elder's words and it only took another minute of thought for him to look up and glare at the bear mutant who had caused us so much grief over the years.

"Fine." He grumbled in a somewhat surprising agreement before plopping back down in his chair to fold his arms and ignore everyone in the room. "But only because you can help me control it." He added and Roku smiled again.

"Always gotta have the last word, don' cha kid." He stated as they locked eyes in a staring contest. I wasn't quite sure what they were talking about but I think it had something to do with Raph's _strength_.

We had noticed how Raphael just seemed to get stronger and stronger as we got older, which would have been really cool, had he been able to _control _it. But he really had no idea how to measure out his strength according to his target and would often end up causing far more damage than he had originally intended.

Even Leo, Donnie and I had our fair share of bruises from being on the wrong end of his fists at times and we knew we'd just been _lucky_ that no one had been seriously hurt so far. But more than that my brother just utterly _hated_ not being in control and every near-miss _ate at him_ deep in his spirit.

"Very well." Ichi stated after giving them another minute to – _glare_ – at each other. "Donatello." He added and Donnie turned to look at him. "I'm sure you are smart enough to gather a guess as to who we have chosen to be _your_ teacher."

Donnie nodded once before turning to look at Olcadan. "However; I'm not quite sure _why_." He admitted.

"Special Operations is a tricky position." Ichi explained. "There's no telling what kind of knowledge you might need to know in any situation. But your passion for learning will jump start and assist you in more ways than any _trainer_ ever could." He admitted. "However I would like you to consider leaning something that would greatly improve your team and your chances for survival."

Donnie watched him for a second before nodding in consent and Olcadan sat up straighter to speak to him.

"I would like to train you to be a _healer_." The old owl stated and I couldn't help but perk up at this. We had leaned the great importance of Medical Ninjas during our training as well as the _dire_ situation we were now in considering that our team _didn't_ _have_ _one_.

"Olcadan approached us some time ago regarding this." Ichi interrupted causing us all to turn and acknowledge him again. "He has trained very few in his days yet he has _asked_ for you _personally_. This is a great honor but as I have said before it is your decision."

Donnie looked at the floor as he thought that over for a minute then back up at Olcadan who watched and waited for his answer. "Yes, I would be honored." He said simply and Olcadan smiled.

"Very well.' Ichi said after another minute and we all turned to look at him again however he was only looking at _me_. "Michelangelo." He stated and I immediately sat up straighter and held my breath in anticipation. "Reconnaissance can be a difficult thing to master, however I have no doubt that my second-in-command can help you do so." He explained.

"What?" I asked in shock before turning to look at Shichi who gave me a cheeky little grin.

"Are you really all that surprised?" She commented and folded her arms and legs in order to regard me with an air of boredom. "I am a _scout_ as well you know." She added.

"You are?" I asked and she gave me a look.

"Ok; maybe you _didn't_ know." She whispered and Roku promptly started laughing however this action immediately caused her to glare at him dangerously before standing up to kick the giant mutant bear straight out of his chair.

The loud thud that followed seemed to rock the whole building and we instinctively held tighter to our chairs in anticipation of the floor collapsing around us. However it didn't and Shichi just returned to her seat to causally examine her claws.

Ichi sighed loudly before addressing me again. "Michelangelo." He said and I whipped around to look at him. "Are you comfortable with this arrangement?" He asked and I gave him a tense little smile before answering.

"On one condition." I stated quickly. "No _kicking_." I proclaimed looking nervously at the lump on the floor; who was by far one of the _strongest_ people I had ever met. "Or _hitting_." I added swiftly and they all laughed lightly.

"Don't worry little _kame_." Shichi declared as Roku started to get up again only for her to trip him thus sending his face into another instant meeting with the floor. "Roku's the only one that really _deserves _it anyway."

Somehow that didn't make me feel any better.

"Leonardo." Ichi stated suddenly getting our attention again and my oldest brother immediately perked up. "Unfortunately; leadership is something that must be _experienced_ not learned." The tiger continued wisely and I couldn't help but look at Leo nervously.

'Did that mean he didn't get a teacher?'

"However." Ichi stated quickly and we all looked back at him in expectation. "I look forward to witnessing it first-hand." He finally added and my brothers and I immediately stopped breathing as we realized just what that meant.

"_You_?" Leo asked in aw after he had gotten over the shock. "_You're_ going to train me?"

Ichi smiled warmly before answering. "If you will _allow_ me than yes I would be honored." When I looked back at Leo I was suddenly worried that he might just pass out from the stress. But he was able to slowly regain his composure again before standing up quickly to present a deep bow to his new Sensei.

"It is I who would be honored, High Elder." He proclaimed seriously and Ichi smiled warmly and returned the bow before continuing with his speech.

"Also remember that this phase of your training will be _individual_." He explained again. "This means your time together will be _limited_ for the next four years."

_4 years!_

I couldn't help but swallow and look toward my brother's nervously who all appeared to be just as unhappy about this as I was.

"We've noticed your incredible bond and we _do_ support it. You have excelled in team-training better than any others before you." Ichi continued warmly. "Because of that this stage may seem impulsive and even _cruel_, but I assure you we have your best interest at heart."

"Than why?" Leo asked.

"Because _growth_ only occurs when you are pushed beyond your limits." Ichi explained calmly. "While teamwork is arguably the most important focus of a team, your ability to function _individually_ is also crucial. Plus there may be times when you are separated or given different missions and will be required to perform independently in order to accomplish your goals."

"I guess that makes sense." Raph admitted reluctantly.

"Watching you these past few years has shown us that this will be by far the _hardest_ thing you have ever done." Ichi continued. "The training alone will push you to your breaking point which will only _intensify_ the impact that the isolation will have on your souls. But it will be how you withstand the _separation_ that will eventually reveal your true strengths."

"So what do we do?" I asked quietly still not sure how we were supposed to handle this and hoping that any information I could gather might eventually help.

"Find strength in the knowledge that this can only make you stronger." Ichi explained wisely. "And always remember who you are."

…

The next day

'This is so _not_ cool.' I thought to myself miserably as I looked around at the parking lot filled with long dead cars before noticing movement at the far end of the lot where a whole herd of people stood around talking to each other.

"So – what are we doing here?" I asked out-loud looking back in the direction of the castle. While I could still sense my brothers the very fact that they weren't there was like a weight on my chest. Several times already I had turned to talk to them only to remember that they weren't there to talk to.

This was not going to be easy to get use to.

"We're going to test your ability to _detect_." Shichi answered before putting her fingers to her mouth and let out a loud whistle to which I immediately covered my ears in response. However I wasn't fast enough to keep it from making my head ring for several seconds.

I then watched as the group of people across the way suddenly turned to look at us and one of them in the front row gave her a thumbs-up.

"Huh?" I stated lowering my hands again.

"Your objective is simple." She said and I turned to watch her. "Find the _attacker_."

"What?"

"In a second you will walk directly through that crowd however _one_ has been given instructions to _attack_ you." She explained. "Your goal is to figure out _who_ it is _before _the assault comes."

"But we already did this." I complained truthfully, my brothers and I had already trained to identify an attacker based on body language and facial expressions before we became Chunin.

"True." She admitted. "But this will be a bit different."

"How?" I asked however she just turned to give me a real nerve-raking little smile.

"You will see." She stated before giving the group a wave which started them walking across the parking lot, she then shoved me forward as well and strolled off to lean against a car to observe the carnage.

I hesitated for a second as I tried to figure out what I was supposed to do before finally starting toward the approaching group. At first I couldn't see why this was so different from before but as the people got closer I began to understand.

Something I hadn't noticed at a distance was that they were all wearing _masks_. Most of them were just Halloween props or ski masks but some looked so real I couldn't make out the difference between real and fake until I was right next to them.

On top of that I couldn't see their facial expressions and most even had their eyes covered too which opened a whole new can-of-worms for me to muddle out. But I kept my cool and calmly searched for the correct _body_ language that would give away the attacker.

However they _all_ displayed the aggressive signs I was looking for.

I started to panic slightly as they _focused_ on me more intently making me more and more jumpy as the group passed by. They even started to _fake_ me out; attacking randomly and forcing me to dodge away only to realize a second later that they hadn't even come close.

Others would walk toward me in a threatening manner before swerving away at the last second. Some would even pull out weapons in a big hurry only to stand in one place and just watch me as I walked by.

After another minute of this I found myself focused on a big guy who looked like he was ready to eat my face when someone in the crowd suddenly barreled toward me at top speed and I immediately turned to fight back.

However he stopped just out of my reach and I promptly turned back around to watch the big guy expecting him to attack but instead I was hit from behind by a completely different person who I had already deemed as _safe_.

I adjusted quickly and was able to remain on my feet as I turned to assess the threat but they were just casually standing around removing their masks. "What happened?" I asked them in confusion.

"You failed." Shichi answered simply as she maneuvered through the group to reach me.

"But – I'm still standing." I argued.

"This isn't an _endurance_ test, _kame_." She proclaimed seriously. "In a _true_ fight _one hit_ may be all it takes."

"Right." I admitted sourly and glared at the person who had knocked me out of the challenge.

"The goal was to discover your enemy _before_ they attacked." She said again and I groaned.

"I know that but how is that _fair_, I couldn't see their faces?" I argued.

"True this isn't something that you'd deal with on a _daily_ basis." She explained leaning against the big guy from before and I watched her in confusion. "That's why we only taught you and your brothers to identify an enemy in a _normal_ crowd."

"So why –" I started but she quickly interrupted me.

"However as a _scout_ your job will be to determine an enemy _during _a _fight_." She continued. "Your ability to tell when and where an attack may come from could mean the difference between life and death for your team."

I looked at the ground as I thought that over; to be honest I'd never really considered it like that before.

"Let's try again." Shichi said after giving me several minutes to think about it and I quickly followed her back to the other side of the parking lot as the group of people returned to their positions.

"Not that I'm complaining." I started to say as we walked and she turned to watch me. "But if this is supposed to simulate a battle wouldn't it be better if they were _all_ attacking me?"

She just laughed lightly under her breath before answering. "Yes and we'll get to that eventually." She stated which made me slightly nervous. "However right now you need to find your balance."

"Balance of what?" I asked her.

"The balance of _threat_." She explained. "Remember; your enemy may not always play by the rules nor are they always bound by honor. It is not uncommon for an opponent to send _expendable_ soldiers ahead to _distract_ you as a _sniper_ picks you off from a distance."

I couldn't help but look at her in horror of that realization as we finally reached the other side of the yard and I turned back around to face the crowd, now wound tighter than a spring. "Take in everything, leave nothing to chance." She ordered and I did as she commanded studying the people thoroughly looking for anything that might help me.

"Establish who is a _threat_ and who is the _distraction_." She went on and I nodded in understanding not even looking at her as I continued to watch the group like a hawk. "Begin." She said simply and I started forward again.

As the group got closer and closer I picked out every little detail studying them completely assuming that _everyone_ was a threat even after they had passed me. However it was too much, there were far too many to watch all at once.

This time the attacker was a girl who had moved in to strike, stopped momentarily, then hit when I had stalled. I groaned as I hit the ground and slowly sat up again and waited for Shichi to return.

"That was better." She admitted.

"But I still got hit." I pouted back at her grouchily.

"But you _learned_; which is the whole point of this exercise." She explained waving the group away again and reached down to help me to my feet before leading the way back to our starting point.

"What am I supposed to be _looking_ for exactly?" I asked as we walked.

"Anything." She answered simply and I deflated.

"That's impossible, I can't keep track of everything at once." I argued.

"I didn't _tell_ you to." She commented and I raised an eye-ridge at her.

"What?" I asked skeptically.

"I said to _take in_ everything." She proclaimed. "But remember to always filter it accordingly and never let it distract you." She explained and I watched her curiously half expecting her words to suddenly make sense if I studied her long enough. "However you must_ look_ for _anything_." She finished.

"I don't get it." I admitted and she smiled at me as we reached the end of the lot and I made to turn around and face the crowd again, however she held her hand out and forced me to keep facing the opposite direction.

"Look at this area." She ordered and I did so. "What do you see?"

"They're –" I started trying to look back at the people.

"We're _ignoring _the obvious threat for the moment." She ordered and I turned back around to study the empty area around me.

I told her everything as I looked around at the buildings and windows, the low surfaces and high surfaces, the streets and the cars. But of course considering that she now had me _paranoid_ I also focused on every little shadow as well, seeing the possible danger that each one might hold.

"Do you know what I see?" She asked after I had voiced my observation and I shook my head. "_Potential_." She stated and I looked at her in confusion. "That building would provide perfect cover, range and view." She declared pointing at a random building down the way which I was inclined to agree with her about.

"But my line of sight would be blocked from that angle." She said pointing at another tower. "And that one doesn't provide enough motion." She continued and I looked at the mostly collapsed building she had indicated.

"Oh; I get it." I said finally understanding and she turned to listen to me. "An _enemy_ would use those places too. So instead of focusing on every little thing I only need to focus on the places that would provide what they _need_."

She smiled as I looked back at her. "That's right." She answered. "Range, cover, line of sight and maneuverability; these things are _essential_ to any form of attack. But particularly long-rang and sneak attacks." She explained as I watched and listened to her carefully.

"While you must always take in everything about your surroundings you really need only to _focus_ on these four things. A place without all four could jeopardize a mission." She explained simply.

"So it's a win-win situation." I stated and she looked at me skeptically. "All I need to do is find the places where _I _would choose to hide and I'd probably find my enemy. Either that or a good place to attack _them_ from."

"True." She admitted and I beamed at her. "But don't forget that your _enemy_ might know this too."

And there goes my good mood.

"So – I throw them off and hide in the less obvious place?" I asked pointing at the collapsed building again for demonstration.

"Only if that plays to your team's _strengths_." She explained. "Are you and your brothers _good _at close-quarter combat? Would you be able to hold off an enemy while also avoiding debris or would it hinder your movement as much as theirs?" She asked and I thought about that again.

"Another part of being a scout is to _study_ your enemy, figure out their strengths and weaknesses and play yours against them." She stated. "But to do this you must also _know_ your teammates. Know exactly what they can and cannot do and compare that to what you've learned from your opponent. Then adjust accordingly to suit your team's needs and find the circumstance that would best work in their favor."

"But don't forget that the enemy can do it too." I recited under my breath finally getting the gist for this exercise. "Shichi." I asked and she looked at me. "This sounds a lot like _leader _training." I observed and she smiled.

"In a way it is." She stated and I raised an eye-ridge at her now totally confused. "Your leader cannot see everything so _you_ must be his eyes and ears in the places he cannot reach." She explained seriously as I watched her in a kind of trance.

"There may come a day when your leader believes that the enemy in front of you must be _taken_ _on_ when really they should be _avoided_." She continued. "It will be your job to tell him otherwise and point him in the direction of his true opponent." She looked down at me as I thought that over for anther minute. "Do you understand?"

"I think so." I guessed and could feel her studying me as if trying to decide if that was good enough. She eventually gave a little nod and turned back around to look at the crowd.

I was just starting to wonder if maybe I could ask for a job that didn't require so much _thinking_ when she gave the group the signal and they all started forward again. I took a deep breath before walking toward the middle of the yard as well, trying to keep everything Shichi had just said in mind.

This time I focused only on those that were in a _position_ to attack. Ignoring their body language all together instead taking into account the ones that had correct range motion and opportunity.

Looking at it in this manner I realized that the number of possible opponents had been reduced to almost a _third_ of the original population. This I could work with.

I watched these ones closely while also _listening _to everyone else, I knew from my own training that no matter how Ninja-esque you were you couldn't avoid making at least a _little_ bit of noise when moving at a brisk pace.

Then I found him.

A man on my right was in the perfect position and even though he wasn't looking at me his body language was like a coiled spring ready to fire. But just as he had walked into range movement had me looking over my shoulder at another faker however this time I was ready.

I quickly maneuvered up and over the fake and kicked off of him to propel myself away from the scene just as the _real _attacker took advantage of the distraction and made his move. At which point the two literally collided into each other with a painful sounding thud.

"Oops." I proclaimed as they staggered away holding various parts of their bodies in discomfort.

"Good, good." Shichi stated as she walked up again and checked on the two victims. "You'll live, put some ice on it." She told them and they walked off with the rest of the group again.

"That was impressive." She told me and I smiled.

"Now what?" I asked excitedly.

"Now, you do it _again_." She stated with a little grin.

"But –" I complained. "I got it right that time."

"True." She admitted. "But it also took every ounce of concentration you had." She proclaimed insultingly and I gave her a dirty look. "Which is why you're going to continue the exercise until you _don't_ _think at_ _all_."

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

"Where are we going?" I asked as Olcadan and I meandered through the forest surrounding his house.

"To collect herbs." He answered looking purposely at the ground near a tree.

"But, we have herbs at the castle." I proclaimed.

"True." He stated kneeling down near a rock. "But what if one day you are not at the castle, you would have to locate them in _nature_." He answered before suddenly pulling me to the ground and pointed at a plant sprouting near a rock. "What is that?" He asked almost excitedly.

Looking down at the thing to raise an eye-ridge skeptically and answered. "A – _dandelion_."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." He scolded.

"So what?" I proclaimed quietly.

"_Ay-yah_." He swore darkly toward the sky causing me to become a little annoyed. The least he could do was be more specific.

"They're all over." I added sourly, heck I had picked over a hundred of the stupid things from the garden just yesterday.

"And a good thing to." He declared carefully reaching out to pick the plant. "Dandelions can be used for a loss of appetite, upset stomach, intestinal gas, gallstones, joint pain, muscle aches, eczema, bruises and viral infections. Some people even think they can help with _cancer_."

I blinked in surprise and looked down at the simple little yellow flower again. "They can really do all that?" I asked skeptically.

Olcadan didn't answer instead he just pointed at a tree in the distance. "What about that?" He asked and I looked at it.

"A white willow." I answered slowly.

"Good." He stated before getting up to carefully pull a piece of bark from the tree and showed it to me. "Did you know that it can be used to reduce pain, inflammation and fever? Not to mention it's about _twice_ as affective as aspirin and it doesn't irritate the stomach lining either."

"Cool." I stated studying the little piece of wood from all angles.

"Easily amused I see." He stated and I quickly backpedaled from the little insult as he started further into the woods and I quietly put the bark in the pocket of my coat as I followed. However it didn't take long for him to stop again this time in a wide open area of the forest where the trees gave way to a myriad of smaller colorful plants.

"Okay." Olcadan stated reaching down to pick a bright yellow plant that looked quite a bit like a small sunflower. "This is what we're looking for." He explained letting me hold the flower so I could study it.

"What does this one do?" I asked examining the thing carefully; letting my mind try to learn what it could which wasn't much unfortunately.

He smiled warmly before answering. "That is _Arnica_; it can be used to treat shock and trauma. It also reduces bruising, stops bleeding and helps with just about any kind of pain you can think of."

"So it's like a one-flower first aid kit?" I asked causing him to laugh.

"I guess it is." He agreed before digging into his cloak to fish out a burlap bag and a little knife. "Cut them off at the bottom of the stem but leave the root so it will grow back." He instructed. "Only take every _other _one you see."

"Ok." I stated before quickly locating another and gently cut the stem where he had told me to.

"And _don't_ eat it." He proclaimed suddenly in a loud voice. "The actual herb is _toxic_. We'll have to dilute it first or it could kill you." He stated more than a little _unnervingly_ unconcerned and I quickly dropped the flowers into my bag like I feared they would bite me.

…

"Good, good." Olcadan declared as I plopped my second bag down next to his and leaned up against it completely exhausted. "You're a hard worker." He started from his seat on a rock where he had been waiting for me to finish for almost an hour now.

"You could have helped." I argued.

"But then you wouldn't have that _glow_ from doing it all by yourself." He proclaimed and I glared at him, but he just laughed before standing up to tie one bag to each end of my staff. "Stand up." He ordered and I did at which point he promptly lowered the tenbin onto my shoulders.

I had to hop around for a minute before I finally leveled out the weight and was able to walk a straight line again but when I looked up I couldn't help but be annoyed when Olcadan lifted a _single_ bag onto his shoulder and smiled at me.

"Shall we?" He commanded and started leading the way out of the meadow.

"Can't we take a break?" I asked.

"Nope, we got to get these back before they dry." He declared without stopping.

'Funny how he wasn't concerned about that when _he _was resting.' I thought to myself sourly as I quickly rushed after him before I was left behind.

It took everything I had to maneuver through the trees and keep up with the old owl at the same time. I couldn't even count how many times I got stuck between two trees and had to go around a different way but I eventually started to get the hang of it.

I swear he had _purposely_ taken the long way around as I know it hadn't taken us that long to get to his little _Arnica _meadow. So by the time we had _finally_ made it back to the old building he called home my shoulders were killing me and I don't think I could have walked another step if Shredder himself was on my heels.

"Tired?" He asked easily dropping his bag onto the stone portico and turned to _watch_ me struggle with my own.

"No." I answered pridefully after I had finally managed to free myself from the legalized torture device and rubbed my shoulders miserably.

"Good, 'cause I got another job for you." He stated absent-mindedly picking up his bag again and walked into the building.

"_What_?" I whined before I could stop myself and distinctively heard him laughing from inside the home. I just glared evilly at the door before sliding the first bag from my staff and man-handled it inside.

It seemed that this building too had been some kind of museum in its day. As the walls were covered with the painstaking effort of someone who had taken the time to move all the artifacts high up on the walls and out of harms way.

I jumped when something crunched under my foot and looked down to find a straw mat laid out over the floor covered in a wide assortment of dried up plants. Several clothes racks stood along the edges of the room as well that were used to suspend other forms of herbs.

"I thought you said they needed to be _wet_?" I asked as I located Olcadan again who was carefully tying together bundles of the flowers we had just picked before hanging them on a rack to dry.

"I never said that." The old man stated. "I said 'we had to get back before they dried.'"

"What's the difference?" I whined more than a little peeved now.

"Wet, dry, big difference." He instructed. "You're a smart kid you should be able to figure it out."

"That's not the point." I argued. "Why did we have to hurry back if we were just going to dry them out anyway?"

"Because they don't work as well when they're wet." He declared with a smile as he continued to tease me. "Dry, wet, big difference." He repeated.

"Oh never mind." I grumbled sitting down next to him and watched him tie the plants together to get a feel for what I was supposed to be doing.

…

"Uh oh." Olcadan declared suddenly as I read a plaque on the wall that declared the building under the name of '_Haiseiden'_ and was apparently dedicated to a famous haiku poet named Matsuo Basho.

"What?" I asked walking out to see what he was looking at, it took me a minute to realize that it was the distinct lack of _sunlight _in the sky. "_AH_!" I freaked loudly. "Splinter's gonna kill me." I panicked before racing for the tree line; but unfortunately I didn't get very far.

"Hold up there, little _kame_." Olcadan stated lifting me straight off the ground and held me like a scolded puppy. "You can't go wandering the woods at this hour who knows what manner of mischief you'll get into."

"But –" I started.

"I'll get you home." He declared handing me my staff before throwing me over his back and started into the forest.

"I can walk you know?" I grumbled trying to free myself from his grip.

"If there's one thing I've learned in my many years it is to never let a kid out of my sight that says _that_." He proclaimed wisely.

I thought about arguing the point some more but from my day's experience with the man I was starting to think that he _might _be a hard person to bargain with. So I just shut up and enjoyed to ride.

…

_(Raph's POV)_

"What are we looking for?" I asked as Roku pressed his face against a window and peered into the room beyond before moving to the next building with an unsatisfied look.

"Ya'll see." He proclaimed looking through another window before declaring loudly. "Ah-ha," and moved over to the door which he causally pulled straight off its hinges and walked inside like he owned the place.

I followed a second later and looked around at the long abandoned store which featured the unpleasant after-scents of mold. Obviously whoever had left the place behind forgot about the perishables.

My brothers and I were all pretty use to the foul odors that emitted from certain salvaging areas by this point so the mostly faded smell of rot wasn't that bad. In fact compared to the old markets down town or the abandoned sewage plant this place was down right _fragrant_.

I curiously searched the shelves for anything that my survivalist-mind deemed useful however it looked like the store had already been picked clean of most the essentials, but after nearly 50 years of abandonment that wasn't too surprising.

In the end I decided to head for the magazines choosing to ignore the isle of hygiene products under all sorts of questionable names for I really didn't want to know what 'co-curious non-fiction goop' was supposed to be.

"Ah-ha." Roku boomed again several minutes later and I looked up from the measly collection of dysfunctional magazines and newspapers that someone had obviously already raided for fire-starters to find the mutant bear meandered down the main isle hauling four large buckets and I quickly followed to see what the hubbub was about.

"What's that?" I asked as he dropped two in front of the door and lugged the others outside with him.

"Ya'll see." He stated again loudly as he started back toward the castle. "Come on keep up." He yelled and I immediately picked up the load he had left for me and started after him.

…

"Now what?" I asked dropping my buckets near his at the front of his house while he maundered inside. I was about to follow when his hand shot out of the doorway and presented me with a – _spatula._ "Here." He declared before pointing at a horse trough over to the side. "Get to work." He ordered and disappeared once again.

I looked at the spatula skeptically then back at the doorway. "Doing what?" I asked the shadows.

"Make sure ta get it all," was his only response followed by a loud clatter of something falling over and a few choice curse-words.

"Whatever." I grumbled before hauling the buckets over to the trough and pried open the lid of the first to find it full of – "_Glue_?" I asked it with a raised eye-ridge.

I turned back around to question the occupant of the house when another loud clash sounded through the area and a few little things roiled or bounced their way out the front door. Deciding it was probably better not to test fate I lifted the bucket to poor what I could into the trough and then proceeded to scrape the rest out before moving onto the next.

By the time Roku made his reappearance I had bruised myself getting every last drop of Elmer's glue from each of the buckets and was now working to get the rest off my arms and hands.

"Good." He proclaimed plopping another bucket down on the ground beside me and studied the contents of the trough with interest.

"What is all this for anyway?" I asked as he pulled the lid off the new bucket and dumped a creamy white substance into the concoction before throwing it away and stuck a big metal pole into it and handed me the other end.

"Stir!" He ordered without answering my question and took up a seat on one of the upturned pails to watch my progress and I glared at him for a second before doing as I was told.

For several minutes nothing really happened then the substance started to thicken becoming harder and harder to churn.

"There we go." He stated with a big goofy smile when I finally couldn't turn the pole anymore.

"What is it?" I asked struggling to detach the rod from the mixture as he tested the squishy stuff to make sure it was to his liking.

"Yur father and I use ta make this stuff all the time." He answered unhelpfully I gave him a look before opening my mouth to ask the question once again, but before I could he started to laugh. "Oh come on don' tell me ya've never seen _silly putty _before." He proclaimed.

"Silly putty?" I repeated looking back at the substance questionably. "Why?" I couldn't help but ask at this point as I was now understandably confused.

"Well for one ya could use a spot-a culture." He proclaimed moving to extract and examine a small wad of the sticky paste with a critical eye.

"How on earth is _silly putty_ considered_ culture_?" I asked skeptically.

"It was accidentally created during World War II, by American scientists who were trying ta make a synthetic rubber." He lectured and I looked back at the stuff in interest.

'Maybe Donnie's got something on this 'you learn something new everyday,' thing.' I thought to myself before Roku seemed to finally become pleased with the texture of the putty and plopped the glob he had back into the barrow.

"Okay then." He proclaimed with an amused smirk before suddenly throwing his fist into the slimy substance as hard as he could and the stuff made a comical farting noise as his arm sank about a foot into the goop. "Now you." He added.

I gave him a quizzical look before turning to watch the substance with disbelief. For the life of me I could not see where he was going with this. "Don' hold back, give it everythin' ya got." He instructed forcibly pulling his arm from the glue again.

I sighed loudly but decided not to argue as I doubted I would have gotten anywhere with him anyway then followed his lead and threw everything I had into the putty. Even without trying to measure out my strength like usual my fist still sank no more than an inch past Roku's.

"What's the point of this again?" I asked struggling to dethatch my arm from the goo but it wouldn't budge. I eventually put both feet on the side of the trough and pulled with everything I had to finally free myself with an ungraceful cartwheel across the yard.

"This'll help us find the limits of yur strength." Roku answered watching me with an amused smirk as I walked back up to the tub with a grumble. "Just keep doin' that till I tell ya ta stop." He ordered before walking off to get some work done.

"But –" I started to complain however he just ignored me and continued to whistle a tune as he strolled away. I stuck my tongue out at his retreating form and turned back to glare at the white squishy substance before sighing in annoyance and threw my fist into it again.

…

I was nearly on my 7th straight hour of hitting the almost-rubber and was currently trying to detach my arm from its depths once again when Roku walked up and examined my progress.

He didn't say anything so I continued in my attempt to pull myself free of the gluey trap but was having no such luck. After another minute I had to take a break and sucked in one deep breath of air after another.

Who'd a thought hitting homemade silly putty for hours on end could be so draining?

"Ya gettin' tired yet?" He asked obviously already aware of the fact that I was and I proceeded to glare at him for it. "Good." He responded with a smirk. Choosing to just ignore him as I was too tired to deal with his _humor_ at the moment I turned back to trying to escape the putty once again only to fail three more times.

It was at this time that the bear mutant lifted my trapped arm and casually poured some _water_ onto the glue which caused it to dissolve in a matter of seconds, thus loosening up enough for me to finally pull free at which point I promptly collapsed on the ground more than ready for a break.

"Not so fast there, _kame_." Roku declared and suddenly picked me straight off the ground.

"Hey." I complained instantly but he just ignored me as usual.

"We didn' do all that work just so ya could throw it away." He stated authoritatively.

"_We_?" I repeated sourly and glared at him over my shoulder just before he placed me back on the ground in front of an old wood-chopping block and balanced a large log on its surface.

"Ok." He declared and folded his arms to watch me in expectance.

"What?" I groaned I so did not have the energy to muddle out his riddles right now.

"Split it." He ordered nodding casually at the log and I sighed in annoyance before reaching for the axe. "With yur _fists_." He corrected and I turned to look at him in disbelief but he just nodded at the wood in expectation.

I sighed again and forced myself to suck-up the discomfort in my arms enough to lift my right hand and threw my fist into the wood as hard as I could. However to my surprise it didn't break in fact I barely even made a dent in it and on top of that – it _hurt._

"Ow." I complained promptly cradling my sore hand.

"Ya ok?" He asked almost immediately and carefully checked my hand for damage.

"Yeah but –" I answered not even looking at him. "What happened?" I asked examining the nearly complete log in shock. It wasn't very often that something didn't _shatter_ upon impact with my fists these days.

"Ya didn' hit it hard enough." He advised carefully wrapping my hand in several layers of bandages to protect the skin. "There try again." He ordered and I did as I was told. This time I managed to split it completely in half but it was still nothing spectacular.

"Good." He praised examining my hand again before moving to get me another log.

After working my way through several more pieces of firewood my curiosity finally got the better of me and I had to ask. "What's going on? Why aren't they breaking more?"

"How da ya feel right now?" He asked in response and I looked up at him. "Ya still tired?" He added.

"Yeah." I stated truthfully in fact it was taking nearly everything I had just to lift my arms. "Is that why?" I guessed and he smiled at me.

"Believe it or not, _no_." He answered. "True yur exhausted but if that were the only reason ya wouldn' even be able to stand let alone split a log."

"Than – what is it?" I asked curiously.

He smiled warmly at me before answering. "Yur just finally using yur _true _strength." He explained.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Yur whole life ya've been relying on this _unnatural _strength of yur's. True it's a great asset, but ta use it without regulation can have dire consequences." He proclaimed seriously and I looked at him with a sudden uneasy feeling deep in my stomach. "Jordon told me that when ya use it ya temporarily loose yur sense of _touch_."

"What does that mean?" I asked confused.

"It means that in order to make ya stronger it depletes yur ability ta feel pain." He explained motioning for me to sit down and take a rest before he continued. "But pain is _required _ta find yur limits. It tells ya when yur hurt and helps ya measure yur own strength." He stated wisely. "Ya take that away; ya lose the ability ta _control_ that strength." He added.

"So all this time –" I started looking down at my hands in understanding. "I haven't been able to control it because I couldn't feel the pain?"

"That's right." He answered sitting on the chopping block to watch me mull over this new information. "But we should be able ta help ya control it now."

"How?" I asked on auto-pilot.

"By exhausting yur _unnatural_ strength ya were able ta find and use the power ya were born with. By training ya in this way we should be able ta find yur limits and teach you to recognize them." He explained. "Think of it like tracing a picture, ya'll use what ya learn from yur natural strength and superimpose that onto yur unnatural strength. Do ya understand?" He added watching me with a tilt of his head.

"I think so." I admitted and he nodded in pleased silence.

"Alright." He declared and stood back up to place another log on the chopping block. "Then let's try again?"

…

_(Leo's POV)_

"What has you so distracted, Leonardo?" Ichi asked casually in the middle of our meditation session.

"Nothing." I said simply but he calmly turned to look at me as though to say that; that hadn't been a very good answer.

"Have you discovered the reason for this exercise yet?" He asked as if talking of the weather a minute later and I sighed.

"No." I answered simply I wasn't all that surprised that he had picked up on my lack of concentration but that didn't mean I was any less confused as to my reason for being here.

"I was hoping that by forcing you to dwell on it your distraction would _surface_, but it doesn't seem to be working." He admitted and I quickly looked at the floor in shame. "This is not your fault, Leonardo." He informed me immediately.

"It is a leader's job to fight and think at the same time and you do it very well." I looked back at him as he continued with his speech hoping to find something in his words that would help me figure this out. "However." He started again. "I'm concerned that you are thinking of the _wrong_ things."

"Then – what am I supposed to be thinking of?" I asked quietly.

"That is not a very good question." He admitted. "Your job is to consider _everything_. So the question you _should_ be asking yourself is, 'what _don't_ you need to think of?'"

"So – what's not important?" I guessed.

"No." He answered immediately. "Everything is important until it's no longer in play. But in a fight or on a mission there is _one_ thing that you do not need to concern yourself with." He explained calmly. "And it's this very thing that I believe you are putting far too much thought into at the moment."

I considered that again trying to riddle out what he meant but nothing came to mind. At least nothing that fit the description he was giving me. "I don't understand." I admitted after another minute.

"And that is alright." He told me encouragingly. "After all you are here to learn and besides." He added. "I doubt this will be easy for you to accept."

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Because the one thing that as a _leader_ you do not need to concern yourself with; is _your_ _team_." He stated simply.

"What?" I couldn't help but ask in disbelief. 'That couldn't be right.'

"Don't get me wrong." He added quickly. "Looking out for your team is crucial, but only when they _need_ it." He explained. "This is the reason you have comrades, when there's no time for deductive reasoning they will be there to protect you and provide you that time, but if you can't in-turn rely on them you're not fulfilling your responsibility to your team."

"And I understand that really I do." I told him quietly. "But what if they're in trouble? I can't just stand around and do nothing."

"You won't _have_ to." He answered simply. "Have faith that they can fight and defend themselves and if they _are_ in need of aid _another_ will be there to help them."

"But –" I started to say however he quickly interrupted me.

"As the oldest of your brothers you have a powerful need to protect them, this is understandable, but you are not the only one with this call. Raphael, Donatello and even Michelangelo all have the same want and desire to defend _you_ as well as each other. But you must _allow_ them to do so." He added seriously.

I sighed loudly before commenting. "It's not that I don't trust them it's just – " I paused as I realized that I really had no idea where I was going with this argument.

"I understand." Ichi stated softly. "You are a protector this is a noble ambition, but not all need your protection and if you try to assist where you are not needed you could cause more harm than good." He explained gently which did make a lot of sense but still this was going to be difficult to overcome.

"Okay Sensei." I said quietly. "I'll try." He simply nodded in agreement before standing up again and I followed suit as he proceeded to start the second phase of his exercise, which involved quite a bit of _fighting_.

…

I took some time that night to meditate in the forest on what Ichi had told me. In my confused state our short battles had been all but disastrous but even an hour into my privet meditation my mind still refused to put the pieces together and riddle out what my master was trying to tell me.

After another minute I quietly stood in one swift motion and headed back toward the castle, however as I reached the gate something nagged at me to go around the wall instead. It was a rare occasion indeed when my instincts were _wrong _about something so I promptly followed my gut and rounded the corner on my right.

"Mikey!" I quickly called out when I spotted my brother leaning back against the trunk of a tree. Rushing to his side I found that he had just fallen asleep and promptly released the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

However as a little bit of moonlight began to peek through the simple cloud cover I realized that he was covered in _bruises_. It would seem I wasn't the only one having a bad day.

"Mikey?" I said again shaking him gently which finally had him opening his eyes and looking up at me in a confused manner. "Are you okay?" I demanded softly.

"Hey _nisan_." He told me with a smile and a yawn. "Yeah I'm –" He finally started to answer until his eyes landed on something and expanded to the size of quarters. "Leo!" He suddenly yelled urgently sitting up in a panic which caused my stomach to fall.

He normally didn't act like this, had something happened?

"What happened to you?" He quickly demanded instead. This really wasn't what I had expected so I was taken aback as I turned to look down at myself which was when I became aware that I was still featuring several dozen bruises of my own.

"Nothing." I finally answered. "Just training, are _you _okay?" I insisted brushing it off quickly so I could focus on him again however he didn't take the change of subject too gracefully.

"What?" He promptly yelled getting in my face. "How can you be worried about _me _when you look like _that_?"

"Because _you _look just as bad." I countered quickly.

"I do not –" He started before adding distractedly. "I _do_?" With this he quickly looked down at himself as well where he seemed rather surprised to discover that was correct.

As the light continued to get brighter he continued to look more and more like a _grape_. He looked down right hideous and as he carefully reached up to touch his face experimentally the _wince_ he displayed proved that he probably _felt _like it too.

Even though he was normally the kind of person that thrived on attention it was times like this that showed he could stand his ground with the most _stubborn _of people. "That's not the point." He proclaimed suddenly determined to keep the worry on me for some reason. "You're _bleeding_, I'm not." He promptly added as if this made all the difference.

I couldn't help but raise an eye-ridge at that argument before reaching out to run a finger over one of the little cuts on my arm making sure that he was watching as it came away _clean_. "It's _dry_." I told him quietly. "They've been healed for about an hour now."

"Oh." He proclaimed obviously feeling a bit put-off; however as his eyes darted back to me with a leveling stare I realized I had said the wrong thing.

At the beginning of our ninja training my brothers and I came home with buses and cuts all the time, I should have guessed that he'd put the pieces together once he had all the right information.

"So that's it." He proclaimed and I inadvertently shrunk away as his anger started to rise. "What do you do just _stand_ out here until your wounds heal?" He suddenly demanded "Why don't you just come _home_?"

"Mikey." I tired again but he interrupted me before I could get anything else out.

"No." I insisted suddenly in a serious tone. "We know you're hurt, we all are, there's no reason to _hide _it."

I couldn't help looking away from him as I finally crossed my legs to sit on the ground. "A leader shouldn't show his pain." I proclaimed seriously causing him to just stare at me in total shock then before I had even seen it coming he suddenly had reached out and punched me in the face.

"Ow." He whined immediately as I caught myself before I could hit the ground and turned back to find him shaking his hand in protest of the action before looking back at me sternly. "_That_ is the most stupid, ridicules, insensitive, cockamamie excuse I have ever had the displeasure of hearing you say." He proclaimed angrily as I just continued to watch him in stunned silence.

After a minute he seemed to calm down some so I moved to sit back up and touched my cheek where a new bruise was probably starting to form. It was likely that we would _both_ be feeling that later as he was slowly massaging his hand as well.

"Mikey –" I started again only to be interrupted once more.

"Shut up!" He demanded and I jumped. "You _promised_ you'd let us in. You _promised_ you'd stop trying to do it all on your own. _We're_ training _too_ and it's not because we _like it_" He told me loudly his anger rising with every word as he suddenly found himself on his feet not even slowing down as he continued to yell at me at the top of his lungs.

"We've been working _too_ hard for you to just take it all away from us." He went on this time with something akin to _pain _in his voice. "You _can't _do that. It's not _fair_."

I couldn't say anything at first as his anger suddenly evaporated leaving him with a somewhat shocked expression as if he didn't have a clue where that had come from.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly when my voice finally returned. "Mike?" I asked nervously when he just sat back on the ground and looked at a rock miserably.

"I hate this, Leo." He told me suddenly off topic promptly burying his face in his knees as tears started roiling down his check.

His change of tone was enough to throw me off for a moment but not his words. I knew _exactly_ what he was talking about. Even though we had known about the circumstances of our training; being separated was still proving to be _disastrous_.

The only time we even got to _talk_ to each other anymore was when we got home at night or early in the morning before we left, but we were usually so tired we didn't get a lot in and after being each-other's shadow for so long it was hard to find ways to adjust, so most often than not we _didn't_.

For the first time in our lives we were actually _fighting_ and they weren't our usually play fights either, they were real physical ones.

Raph and I were obviously the worst we fought almost every chance we got and it took everything Donnie and Mikey had just to keep us in check but they were exhausted to and were quickly getting to the point where they couldn't keep up with us anymore.

But what really scared me was that the longer it went on the more I worried that I was _losing_ my brothers.

"Mikey?" I asked kindly and gently reached out to put his arm around his shoulders.

"I want things to be like they were." He muttered into his legs quietly. "I don't want us to fight anymore."

"Yeah." I agreed solemnly pulled him closer. "Neither do I."


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Year 8 – Age 12

_(Mikey's POV)_

Something tells me Shichi designed her trials in such a way that it would enhance my specialized tracking ability and it was obviously _working_. Even if it did take several _months_.

I felt like I was slowly coming to understand my ability in a way that I had never been able to before and what's more I could definitely see why I had been given the position of scout; it seemed to highlight everything about my strengths and suited me to a T.

As the months wore on I was finally able to master her detection challenge to the point where I was able to quickly point out the attacker amongst the distracters every single time, sometimes even before I had reached the group.

When she was finally satisfied with my progress she mixed it up a bit and started _adding _attackers. At first it was just one or two which wasn't too hard to counter but eventually their numbers increased to over 20 at a time and unfortunately for me one of my strengths was _not _multi-man combat.

Leo and Raph were the fighters they could easily take on multiple opponents all at once however I was suited more for sneak attacks and one-on-one which was proving to be a real problem now.

"Ow." I groaned as I sat up and rubbed my arm where the attack had made contact.

"You ok?" One of them asked and I looked up to find him squatting down to check on me.

"Yeah." I said sourly and looked back at the ground in defeat.

"That's enough for today." Shichi stated as she approached. "Thanks for your help everyone, we'll see you tomorrow." She told them causing them all to bow respectfully before heading off in different directions.

"What's the matter _kame_?" She asked as she knelt down to look me in the eye.

"I'm just not _built_ for this." I said softly and looked away from her in shame.

"Yes I know." She admitted and I winced.

"Then why?" I asked as she sat down on the ground in front of me.

"I was hoping you would find a way to overcome it." She explained as she scratched her chin in thought. "But it doesn't appear like that's going to happen." I promptly deflated at her words and dwelled on my weakness for several seconds before she spoke again. "That isn't what I meant."

I looked back up at her again before she continued. "Keep in mind that when you are with your team they will help you adjust for your short comings and you'll get better as you get older." She explained and I remained silent as I waited for her point to come up. "But as a scout you won't always be with your team, so we really do need to find you a way to adjust for that."

I was about to suggest that maybe I just wasn't good enough when she smiled and stood up again. "I've got an idea." She said encouragingly and reached down to help me to my feet. "Follow me."

…

"Now what?" I asked as we arrived back at the castle and she walked directly to the building we used for training.

"You'll see." She commented as we entered the dojo and she led the way to the locked closet that my brothers and I were not yet allowed to open where she extracted a key from her pocket and started to search through the items inside as I waited in the middle of the room.

"There you are." She said suddenly and I looked up as she turned back around to hand me something wrapped in a leather cloth. I cautiously took it from her and checked to make sure whatever it was wasn't sharp before carefully unwrapping it to find a set of _Nunchucks_.

I absent-mindedly touched the soft wood with a finger before looking back at her in confusion. "But I thought we weren't _allowed_ to carry weapons yet?"

"Not until you've _mastered _them." She stated before moving to stand in the middle of the room and unwrapped the other set. "Which is _exactly_ what you're going to do." She proclaimed as she expertly performed a kata. "Now you try." She ordered and I looked back at the weapon in my hands skeptically.

"I've never used one before." I admitted.

"I know." She proclaimed simply. "That's why we're _practicing_."

"But –" I started before deflating slightly. "I don't get it. How is this going to help?"

"The Nunchuck is extremely _versatile_, just like _you_." She explained and I perked up slightly. "I get the feeling it would be the perfect extension of your wild personality." She continued. "And what's more – it can hit _multiple_ opponents almost _simultaneously_."

I felt my eyes widen as I realized where this was going and quickly looked back down at the weapon taking in the intricate gold dragons on the handles before looking back at her.

"So what say you little _kame_." She asked with a smile. "You want to learn?"

"Yeah." I answered without pause and she laughed.

"Alright." She stated simply. "Then let's get started."

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

"Olcadan." I yelled after I had gotten stuck between two trees for the seven-_hundredth_ time. "Can you _please_ tell me what this is all about?" I begged but he just continued to walk leaving me at the mercy of the forest yet again as I remained unable to move my hands as they were currently tried securely to opposite ends of my staff.

If I thought trying to catch Roku; who was the equivalent of a freaking mountain goat on steroids was difficult, it was nothing compared to Olcadan; who was easily _100 times_ better at running and dodging than the bear, plus he could _fly_.

On top of that I wasn't allowed to remove the staff that had become an almost _consent_ attachment to my body for the last several weeks which provided a whole new conundrum of problems.

I had been trained to fight without my hands; however that had been with them tied behind my _back_. But this new position proved to just be disastrous, for not only did I have to readjust to a whole new set of rules as I was nearly _twice _as _wide_ as I was used to, but I also had to deal with the numbing of my arms that had been mercilessly held over my heart all day where they slowly started to suffer from a serious lack of blood.

I winched as my hand twinged painfully when I hit another tree and quickly turned around to asses Olcadan's position only to find that he was now even _father_ away.

"Hey!" I argued and quickly rushed after him again using every trick in my ninja arsenal to navigate the woods.

But it didn't take long before I had nearly lost my balance again and had to move swiftly to avoid falling into a particularly nasty looking torn bush which only resulted in me overcompensating and ending up wedged between a rock and a tree, successfully trapping myself on my back with no way to counterbalance or roil over again.

"Oh _great_!" I swore sourly trying to utilize the muscles in my legs and stomach to get back on my feet.

"_Kaihi_." Olcadan suddenly stated and I looked up to find him grinning down at me.

"What?" I asked confused and he gave me a look as though I should know exactly what he was saying.

"_Ay-yah._" He complained when I continued to stubbornly wait for a response. "The answer to your question." He explained dryly.

"Oh." I remembered immediately and quickly ran a translation of the random word through my mind. "_Evasion_?" I guessed.

"Precisely." He answered casually sitting down on a rock, with obviously no intention of helping me.

"Are you going to tell me _why_?" I grunted as I finally managed to turn over and started to maneuver myself out of my sticky predicament. "Or is this another of those 'you must learn it on your own' things?" I added absent-mindedly.

"Of course not." He quoted importantly. "If you wish to know you need only to ask."

I looked at him from under my arm as I finally got free and turned around to give him a disbelieving look. "Really?" I asked surprised.

"Great minds would have never become so great if they had not _asked_ the questions first." He quoted leaning forward on his staff to study me with interest.

"True." I agreed thinking about that for a minute. "Okay, _why _am I tied to my staff and _what _is this challenge supposed to teach me?" I asked carefully making sure to leave nothing to the imagination. Knowing him he probably wouldn't answer my question simply because I wasn't _thorough_ enough.

However he just smiled warmly at me before responding with a simple, "Evasion," and I deflated again.

"Evade _what_?" I grumbled leaning back against a tree as I tried to wiggle my hands from their prison.

"When your training is complete you will be your team's medical surgeon" He explained.

"I was aware of that." I said distractedly as I focused on ignoring the pain of dislocating my thumb and finally pulled my right hand free.

"And as such it is your duty to remain _alive_." He quoted and I looked back at him. "Never forget Donatello that the _lives_ of your team, your _brothers_ may one day rest in _your_ hands." He explained and I suddenly found myself very focused on his words.

"I will provide you with the knowledge to _save_ _them_ should they ever become injured in battle, but it is _you _they will _depend _on and make no doubt that your _enemy_ knows this as well." He finished letting that sink in for a second before going on.

"Imagine a scenario." He ordered suddenly. "Two of your brothers have fallen." I winched as he said this but didn't interrupt. "The third still fights as you go to their aid, but your opponent has seen through the ruse and has chosen instead to focus on _you_, for the destruction of a team's _healer_ will spell _doom_ if the injuries are too great."

"Knowing this he attacks and you are unable to compensate in time." He finished and I looked at him again as my heart started to speed up. "What would become of your team?" He asked sadly and I couldn't help but shiver at the idea.

"There are _two_ outcomes." He continued after giving me a minute to calm down again. "One; the injured could die and the third would be left to endure death, suicide or even capture." He proclaimed and I promptly pulled away from his words as they were very much like sharp pins being physically forced through my gut.

"Two; the injured could _live_ but now no one knows how to help _you_." He stated seriously. "If you died would your brothers still posses the will to fight, to _live_?" He asked and it pained me to admit it but I slowly shock my head '_no_.'

"So the outcome may very well be the _same_, it would just take longer?" He asked and I looked up at him again.

"I don't want that to happen." I said quietly and his posture changed as he took in my depressed state before carefully kneeling down to touch my shoulder.

"No one does." He stated. "However a healer's position is a tricky one, his care for his team must take priority over his own, yet at the same time he must not allow himself to fall."

I nodded in agreement as I looked at the ground in thought. "When your training is complete you will be a skilled ninja and a bo-master of the highest caliber, you could easily defend yourself and others." He continued.

"But as a _healer_ your job is _not_ to fight for standing to fight will only slow you down and waste precious time that you may not have. So you must compromise." He explained seriously and I nodded in understanding.

"_Evasion_?" I asked suddenly getting it.

"That's right." He congratulated. "All the power and skill in the world means nothing if your enemy can never _hit _you and if you are never hit you can never be defeated and if you are never defeated –" He left off the last part allowing me to fill in the blanks.

"My team will never fall." I proclaimed and he nodded proudly as he causally removed the binding on my other wrist.

"Are you ready to continue?" He asked letting me know that if I decided to go home now he wouldn't argue and I realized quickly that this meant I would be expected to _purposely_ hinder my own movement as well as push myself beyond my already _exhausted_ limit.

But I suddenly had no problem with that. If this could help me keep my family alive the pain would be more than worth it in the end.

"Yes." I finally answered and he smiled before getting up to start the chase again and this time I was right behind him.

…

A few months later

"It's not working." I declared sourly opening my eyes again to glare at Olcadan as he sat on a rock nearby studying me with a high level of interest.

"Try another position." He advised and I promptly put my head in my hand in annoyance.

"Maybe it would help if you actually _told _me what I'm supposed to be doing?" I suggested.

"_Listening_." He proclaimed simply _again_.

I couldn't help groaning again at that. "You keep saying that, but _what _am I supposed to be listening _for_?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a secret." He stated.

"That makes no sense." I argued. "You're my Sensei; you're _supposed _to tell me your secretes!" I declared. "And you said if I _asked_ the question you would _answer_."

He stroked the feathers on his face in thought as he muddled over my words. "You make a – _compelling _point." He admitted and I looked at him in expectation. "But that's not the point." He corrected and I promptly deflated again.

This was ridiculous I couldn't argue with someone who refused to make sense.

"_I_ was able to learn this on my own." He continued using his staff to stand himself up again. "I see no reason why I should expect _less_ of my pupil." He added before gently patting my shoulder and turned to walk away into the trees.

"Wait, where are you going?" I asked moving to get up as well but he quickly turned around and motioned for me to sit again.

"I'll wait for you at the house, come find me when you've discovered it." He proclaimed simply and walked off once more.

"But what if I _don't_?" I asked on auto-pilot and promptly shut up.

"Then your training will be _over_." He didn't even turn around to acknowledge me as he spoke these words, almost like it _hurt _him to admit it.

"What?" I asked in shock. "But there's still so much you could teach me I can't just go back without finishing."

The owl mutant stopped momentarily in his movement to leave the meadow and explained. "If you can not perform this task you will have no _need_ to continue."

"But –" I started to complain as he walked off again.

"Focus." He interrupted and I glared at him. "Concentrate, center, focal point, attention, direct." He quoted off and I turned my glare toward the ground again as his voice grew quieter and quieter the farther way he moved.

"Try another position." I barely heard him proclaim a minute later.

"Okay." I told the rock in front of me.

"And_ listen_!" He shouted.

"OK!" I yelled back.

A minute later I could tell that he was truly gone and quietly brought my knees to my chest to place my chin on them in defeat.

What did he expect me to _do_?

I momentarily considered that he might just be playing with me but his posture had been too expecting, his gaze too direct. There had to be something here I wasn't getting.

"_Ay-yah_!" I complained and paused briefly as I slowly got to my feet and realized what I had just said. I couldn't help but sigh loudly as I realized the crazy old man was starting to wear-off on me.

I looked around the area as I performed a simple kata with my staff trying to clear my mind as the names of trees and plants that Olcadan had taught me played through my head followed by their uses and any other information that might be helpful.

Sighing loudly after a minute I placed my staff over my shoulders and crouched down to stare at a little rock which only had me feeling even more depressed. I knew my training with Olcadan wouldn't be easy but I didn't expect it to ride on whether I could perform something or not.

I narrowed my eyes at the stone as I decided that I wasn't going to let that happen. I had finally found a way to truly aid my brothers in a fight and I wasn't going to give it up.

I quickly stood up again and stuck my staff into the ground as I studied the area some more. There had to be something here, plants and animals were obvious so it had to be something deeper, something I couldn't see on the surface but needed to know in order to continue my training.

Walking several paces I stooped again to place my hands on the ground. Listening and feeling for the vibrations in the earth; there was a small group of deer nearby maybe 50 yards and a stream in the opposite direction but nothing all that impressive.

Taking another deep breath I looked back at the place where Olcadan had been sitting remembering his posture as something almost _stance_-like.

He _did_ say to try different positions.

I shrugged dismissively before adjusting my balance and gently placed the tips of my finders together in a circle. Looking directly forward in my concentration I found myself using another simple stone as my focus point in an attempt to locate my inner fire. Perhaps what I was looking for was actually _inside _me.

It only took me a couple seconds to notice that my mind wasn't immediately breaking down and analyzing the rock like it normally would. Raising an eye-ridge in curiosity I couldn't help but wonder if maybe it was just because I already had all the information I could gather on the thing.

However that had never happened before, usually my mind would continue to give me information I already knew just in different orders so I could see it from different angles.

But just to make sure I checked the area for something else to center on which was how I realized _nothing _was happening.

I ended up on my feet again in shock which immediately caused the information overloud to startup again and it happened so fast that I actually jumped. But I adjusted again quickly as I tired to figure out what had happened.

When my breathing was back to normal again I slowly couched down to my original position watching the little rock from before waiting for my mind to turn off again. But it just went on and on with tips and tricks that I could use the little stone for.

How fast I could grab it, how far I could throw it, if it would bounce off anything in the area and if so what direction would it go.

Scrunching my face up in annoyance I proceeded to move my hands into their original places as well concentrating on my surroundings as they got closer and closer until finally my fingers were touching again and everything was _quiet_.

Even the vibrations in the ground had gone silent as I found that I was actually _meditating_. I had never been able to achieve a state of rest so quickly, but somehow as long as my hands remained in a circle my mind was at _peace_.

…

"You are _observant_, I'll give you that." I jumped nearly a foot when Olcadan's voice suddenly came from behind me and quickly turned to find him leaning against a tree as he studied me curiously.

"– Thanks." I proclaimed nervously. "This _wasn't_ what you wanted me to learn – was it?" I asked simply as I realized the truth behind his silence and he smiled.

"No." He admitted simply. "When I was young I too had a hard time controlling the track my mind would take, it was this trick this finally helped me to put it at ease. I thought maybe it would assist you as well."

"How does it work?" I asked curiously looking down as I placed the tips of my fingers together again successfully stopping my mind from gathering information again.

"Our brains have an intrinsic sense of ownership over our bodies." He explained simply. "When what the brain _sees _and what it _feels _are different a kind of _numbness _can occur." I looked up at him in complete confusion as he said this but thankfully for the sack of my sanity he continued.

"When you place your hands together your brain will continually send you information about the sensation." He went on simply. "This act basically gives your consciousmind a _circle _of knowledge to focus on leaving your _unconscious _mind to muddle through whatever you deem fit."

"So I'm – _tricking _my mind?" I asked in amazement and he smiled again before nodding.

"In a way." He admitted as I looked back at my hands. "Though a few pressure points don't hurt either. He added and I raised an eye-ridge questionably before turning to look at him again as I recalled the slightly nearly non-existent touch on my shoulder just before leaving me to my training.

"What?" He asked childishly as I continued to look at him in disbelief. "Sometimes the body needs a little_ help _following the mind."

I found myself smiling as that set in and I realized that for the first time during my training with him he had actually _helped_ me instead of just expecting me to figure it out on my own. "That is cool." I whispered distractedly as I looked back at my hands and chose not to point out the little exchange.

"I'm glad I could help. Now go home." He ordered suddenly and I promptly stopped breathing as he turned to leave again.

"Wait." I begged rushing after him in a panic praying to any god that might listen that he wouldn't just _dismiss_ me so easily. "I haven't tried everything yet, please don't –"

"It's alright Donatello. Calm down." He ordered and I did as I was told. "_Ay-yah_, I merely meant that it was _late_." He explained in annoyance. "Your father will be worried about you."

"Oh." I proclaimed looking up as I focused on slowing my heart rate to a safe rhythm again. I had been _meditating_ for hours now; trying to find what it was he wanted me to learn which had apparently distracted me to the point that I hadn't even noticed the sun setting.

"Take tomorrow for yourself." He continued leaning heavily on his staff as he spoke. "Consider what you have learned, consult others, perhaps then something will click."

"You're giving me – _homework_?" I asked unbelievingly and he smiled.

"Get use to it."

…

The next day

My brother's were hardly oblivious to my indifference the next morning as I tried to eat something only to discover that my stomach wouldn't stop turning long enough to complete the action.

I had already informed them of my day off and the reasons behind it leaving Mikey to be ever-the-optimist and throw me a thumbs-up as he left to start his training completely confident in my ability to figure this out.

After which Raph gave me a noogie and informed that if I _didn't _he would become my personal poltergeist and remind me of my failure for the rest of my life which probably would have been about 100 times worse than actually failing.

It was only after they were both gone that I noticed Leo was still there.

"What's the matter, _oniisan_?" I asked from my position at the table tracing lines in the wood distractedly.

I heard him take a small breath before sitting down again. "You're going to be okay right?" He asked and I smiled. Same old Leo no matter how old we got he always treated us like we were made of glass.

"Yeah, I'll be okay." I answered looking back up at him. "Don't worry I just need a little time to figure this out, but I'll get it. I promise."

"I'm not really worried about what effect this will have on the _team_." He admitted. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

I smiled at him again before answering. "I know _nisan_. But I'm _still _going to do it. I don't _care_ how much it hurts." I told him seriously before making sure I had direct eye contact with him as I continued. "And _no_ _one's_ going to _stop_ me."

He seemed to think about that for a minute before smiling as he got my double meaning. "Yeah I know." He stated. "I just can't help but worry about you guys." He declared leaning back slightly as he looked at the picture of our family on the wall across from us.

"You're going to be late for training." I advised shoving him slightly in the direction of the door.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He grumbled knowingly and got to his feet before looking back at me. "But you're sure –"

"_Yes_ Leo, I'm fine." I insisted giving him a look.

"Ok, ok." He laughed holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm going." He added and quickly rushed off to attend his personal training course with Ichi.

I watched him go until he was out of sight then stood up myself trying to decide my next course of action.

…

"Donatello." Leatherhead broadcasted as I walked into the infirmary wing. "What a pleasure, how are you my young friend?"

I smiled at the large mutant who was single-handedly the alligator-equivalent of a fuzzy baby bunny. "Fine." I answered.

"What brings you here?" He asked.

"I was hoping to bounce some ideas off you guys." I admitted including Jordon Perry in the statement too as he had just walked up as well.

"Certainly." Leatherhead declared loudly putting his hand on my shoulder to lead me further into the room.

Several minutes later I had successfully relayed my current predicament to the two older men and waited for their thoughts.

"He certainly didn't make it very _clear_ did he?" Jordon proclaimed with a raised eyebrow.

"He never does." A voice stated randomly and I turned around to find Jyu walking up to us as well to take a seat on the stool next to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked eyeing her curiously.

"I trained under Olcadan as well." She stated simply and I perked up at the prospect of possibly getting to the bottom of this. "But I was far from the _first_." She continued and something about her voice made me deflate slightly.

"That old owl has been looking for someone to pass his knowledge onto for nearly as long as he's _had_ it." She explained. "But so far _every_ _one_ of his former students has _failed_ to complete the very task _you_ now face."

I became very nervous as those words sank in. If years and _years _of students not to mention an _elder_ couldn't do this; what chance did _I _stand?

"Don't get discouraged." She continued and I looked up at her again. "The _ability_ that Olcadan speaks of may very well be _hereditary_."

I couldn't help blinking at her in shock after she said this. "But if it can't be _learned_, why is he even _trying_?" I asked in a panic.

"Hard to say." She admitted. "He's a smart man perhaps even smarter than _you;_ I have no doubt that he _knows_ this, but for some reason he refuses to accept it."

"And between you and me I think the man's a little _crazy_." A random ninja stated from his sick bed and I turned to watch him. "You should _hear_ him out there, he spends most of his day yelling at _trees_ and talking to shrubs like they're his best friends." He proclaimed with a wave of his hand. "The guy is _mad_ I tell you."

"No one _asked_ you, Isao." Jyu declared getting up to check the man's vitals and successfully shut him up before he could say any more.

"He's not really crazy – is he?" I asked her in slight concern.

"Do not believe everything you hear, _kame_." She stated simply without looking up from her job. "What matters is that you have been given the chance to learn something most would _kill_ for, just keep an open mind never waver and _strive_ to achieve your goal."

…

_Isao ~ Honor or Merit._

…

I stayed at the hospital for most of the day as Jyu showed me several healing techniques, Jordon described the wonders of modern medicine and Leatherhead got me hooked on Anatomy and Neuroscience.

Needless to say the study of the human body and brain had _varied_ a bit in the past century or two, but Zoology was just as interesting and kind of helped to fill in the blanks that _mutant_ _anatomy_ was lacking.

I decided that regardless of my Sensei's mental status I was going to finish my training with him and I was _going_ to go all the way, after all I still had quite a bit more learning to do afterwards.

"How long is medical school?" I asked absent-mindedly of Jordon a few hours later as I flipped through the pages of a textbook on the human heart.

He suddenly coughed violently as the coffee he was just sipping went down the wrong tube and I looked up to carefully pat him on the back.

"A little _young _to be thinking about medical school aren't you?" He asked me taking a generous drink of water in an attempt to clear his lungs.

"No." I stated simply and he gave me a look.

"How old are you?" He asked searching his desk franticly like he was suddenly concerned about his knowledge of the world.

"Twelve." I answered astutely watching him with some concern as he continued to freak out a little and promptly sat up straighter to look at me with something akin to _wonder._

"Are you serious?" He asked skeptically.

Deciding to check my math I looked at the tattoo on my arm and added up the years again. "Yes." I stated confidently.

"Oh my –" He suddenly declared putting his head in his hand like he couldn't process the information.

"What's wrong?" I asked him worriedly.

"It's just –" He tried once again then looked at me and smiled. "I never thought I'd see it."

"See what?" I asked him confused but he just shook his head and stood up to pull something from a shelf.

"Here." He stated and I jumped as a _monster _of a book was dropped on the desk in front of me with a deafening thud.

Looking at the thing I found that it didn't even have a name on the cover. "What is it?" I asked turning to look at it from the side; I'd seen _tractor tires_ smaller than this thing.

"Everything Leatherhead and I have complied on our knowledge of modern medicine." He revealed and I looked up at him in shock.

"_Everything_?"

"Everything." He repeated and smiled at me again. "Together Leatherhead and I alone have accumulated the equivalent of over 30 years of medical training." He explained taking a seat again. "Add that along with everything we've picked up living _here_ and it's easily over 70, perhaps more." I promptly looked at the book again in utter amazement as he said that.

"Keep in mind." He added and I quickly turned back. "It takes the average person about 11 to 12 years just to finish medical school, that's not even including _other_ programs." He stated looking at me thoughtfully as he played with a pencil on his desk.

"It would take quite a bit of work but I think you could do it in – maybe – _five_." He guessed and I couldn't help but smile at the _challenge_ he had just presented me with.

"Forget that." I argued throwing open the large tomb to read the first page in a matter of seconds. "I'll do it _three_."

…

I found that separating the book into sections was a lot easier than lugging it around with me everywhere as the thing weighed roughly a _metric ton_. So I decided that I would take one part home at night and exchange it the next day for the following chapter.

By that logic I would be done in about 6 months and the rest of my time would be dedicated to other practices and rehearsal.

I was sure that I could have done it in a year or less but I still had to keep up with my training with Olcadan which according to him would last as least another 3 years, so why argue when I already had a set-in timeline?

Leo of course just about had a hernia when he found out I had taken up this venture, after all my plate was already pretty full, but god forbid I admit that to _him_.

"And just _when_ exactly do you intend to _sleep_?" He asked me as my brothers and I lounged out in the last rays of the sun.

"I'll figure it out." I informed him distractedly reading the section of the book that was laid out on the ground in front of me while Mikey proceeded to sprawl across my shell in a position that gave me a backache just thinking about it.

"Leave him alone." Raph stated from his place leaning back against a tree with a piece of grass sticking out of his mouth. "He's _already_ an insomniac."

"That not a _good _thing, Raph." Leo argued giving my slightly older brother a glare which Raph just waved off as if it was nothing but a slightly annoying bug.

"So did you figure out what Olcadan wanted?" Mikey asked then as he turned around to put his head on my shoulder.

"Not yet." I admitted trying to shrug him off as he picked handfuls of grass and piled it on my head. "But I will." I informed my other brothers when they gave me a look.

"What does he expect you to _do_ anyway?" Mikey asked absent-mindedly as he roiled back over on my back and starred up at the sky. "Sniff the flowers?" He guessed

"If he _knew_ that he wouldn't be _having_ this problem, Mikey." Raph grumbled throwing an acorn at my little brother who quickly moved to catch it causing the pile of grass to fall into the fold of my book.

"Mikey." I argued promptly kicking him away and made to clear the tome of its offending addition which was when something accrued to me.

_"He spends most of his day yelling at trees and talking to shrubs like they're his best friends."_ The ninja's words suddenly repeated over in my head as I studied the little pieces of grass.

I had read somewhere that plants _communicated_ with bees and other helpful insects through _chemical scents_, something that was released by their leaves as they breathed.

_Smell;_ something most plants particularly flowers were _known _for.

And now with my vast knowledge of healing it accrued to me that when they were _refined_ and made into medicine even when their form was crushed and their colors changed with the addition of other compounds, that _smell_ was the only real thing that _remained._

I couldn't help but look at the place where Mikey had picked the grass as I twilled a strand between my fingers in thought there was a distinct _odor _there as well. The one I had become _accustomed_ to smelling when the grass was cut. Could it be possible that the plant had _reacted_ to being attacked?

But being a _stationary_ organism it couldn't just get up and walk away, nor could it strike back so this left it with only one other option.

_Call for help_.

…

"Olcadan." I yelled as I stumbled from the forest in my excitement a whole five minutes later. "Olcadan." I called again and raced into the pavilion where I quickly located the old owl mutant sitting on his meditation mat.

"I _did_ it." I stated this time much quieter as I respectfully sat in front of him. "I _heard_ them." I continued breathlessly. "Well – I didn't _hear_ them exactly but I – the _smell_, they _talk_ to each other with their _scents._" I revealed excitedly stopping to catch my breath for a second which was when I noticed the way he was looking at me.

"Olcadan?" I asked somewhat worried but before I could say any more he suddenly pulled me into a fierce _hug_. In the time I had known him he had never been so – _emotional_ so I was promptly shocked in stillness.

"Am I – _wrong_?" I asked nervously.

"No." He said immediately. "I had almost lost hope I had feared it was not possible that my knowledge would _end_ with me." He stated off topic and I swear I actually felt _tears _fall onto my shoulder. "Thank you Donatello." He proclaimed emotionally. "Thank you for giving me a _purpose_ again."

…

"Olcadan?" I asked quietly about an hour later as I sat nervously in the corner waiting for him to come out of his meditation.

"Yes?" He asked respectfully and I swallowed my pride before speaking my mind.

"I – I don't understand." I admitted. "I mean knowing what plants are doing is cool and all but – it just doesn't seem _that _special." I tried not to make it sound like I was insulting him but there was really no other way I could get my point across.

However he didn't seem offended as he actually smiled before opening his eyes to look at me. "It's _not_." He admitted and I sat up a little straighter in my confusion. "But it was _unusual_ enough that it served my purpose."

"I don't get it."

"The diversity and differences of plants is something that we never really think about. It is an_ expected_ fact of life, but _healing_ is not about doing what's _expected_ and ancient doctors knew this." Olcadan explained wisely before going on.

"In the beginning healing was a _new_ but powerful art, they could help so many but knew nothing of the human body or what medicines they would need to aid it. They were forced to think outside the box and adapt to a _new_ _way_ of thinking."

He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "It is believed that the human race _gave_ _up_ the ability to understand plants in exchange for their gift of _speech_. So they learned to watch the animals and insects; who were _equipped_ to speak withthem.

"So you're saying that by _talking_ we gave it up too?" I asked quietly and he nodded.

"It was for that reason I believed you could do it, for there was a time in your life that you'd _chosen_ to give up your voice." He went on simply. "Of course I would _never_ ask you to do so again but you've proven that it's _not_ necessary. It will be difficult and require a mind set to look _beyond _the impossible but you've passed the first step you're ready to _translate _their language _again_."

"So you _do _actually _talk _to the plants." I concluded with a little laugh and he smiled. "And here I thought you were really _crazy_."

"Who says I'm _not_?" He proclaimed seriously as though _I_ was _crazy_ for suggesting such a thing.

"What do you mean?" I asked before becoming rather nervous as he gave me a truly _scary _smile.

"Get use to it." He proclaimed simply. "Because from this point on your training will involve the _destruction _of your _sanity_."

…

_(Raph's POV)_

"Are we there yet?" Mikey asked for the shit-tillionth time which made us all about ready to bury his head on the sand dune when Splinter and Elder Jyu stopped.

"As a matter-of-fact we are." The lady declared putting down the plastic tub she had been hauling.

"Cool." Mikey proclaimed conveniently spared from a gruesome fate, _for now_ as he quickly ran up to kneel next to the square container watching as she removed several objects from within. "Now what?" He asked.

"Who has the water?" She requested of us and I walked over with the bucket I had been caring and carefully dumped it all into the tub.

"Now what?" Mikey asked again excitedly.

"Mikey!" My brothers and I all screamed at once and I took a moment to happily whack him upside the head.

"Now we _dig_." Jyu explained motioning to the little shovels we had all been toting.

"For what?" Mikey asked as she carefully made the first indention in the ground. "Is there buried treasure?"

"No." She laughed and my youngest brother pouted. "_Better_." She added causing him to immediately become excited again.

Looking around I couldn't even begin to fathom what could possibly be buried out here and to be honest digging randomly around a dried up river bed was not exactly my idea of fun, was it so wrong to want to do something _else _with our day off?

"Wait!" Jyu suddenly demanded and I looked up from my grouching to find that Mikey was about to pierce the earth with his shovel like he was conquering the Kraken or something. "You have to be _careful_ we don't want to _hurt_ them." She continued softly taking his shovel and motioned for him to start digging by hand.

"_Them_?" Leo repeated looking at the ground as she showed Mikey how to dig slowly and shift through every inch of dirt.

"That's right." Splinter stated making his own dent in the ground and stooped to continue the action by hand for some reason choosing not to explain any further.

Donnie gave me a look before moving to help Jyu and Mikey, while Leo and I helped Splinter but still nothing continued to happen. I was about to complain and refuse to keep doing this when suddenly I felt a _presence _in the wad of dirt that was in my hand.

I immediately pulled away like it had stung me and stared at the hole with a new found fascination as I realized that I _knew _that presence.

"What is it my son?" Splinter asked checking my hand to insure that I wasn't hurt.

"There was something there." I said quietly and immediately reaching back in to the hole with Leo at my side quickly trying to help relocate the object of my attention.

We had only to wait another minute before I found it again and gently pulled it from the ground. At first I thought it had only been a rock but once I _touched_ it again I knew differently.

I couldn't help but get a little jumpy as that familiar feeling coursed through my body again, one that didn't seem to _fit_ with the scene in front of me and watching as my brother touched it as well I could tell that I wasn't the only one that thought this was odd.

"Good you found one." Jyu stated getting to her feet again. "Bring it to the water." She instructed and Leo and I immediately obliged.

"What is it? What is it?" Mikey asked as I gently laid the thing in the shallow pool and he immediately went to touch it himself but just as Leo and I had he pulled away again in shock and suddenly became very focused on the object.

My brothers and I were transfixed as we watched Jyu clean the little critter with a sponge carefully removing the dirt which soon revealed a _face_.

"It's a – _turtle_." Donnie finally voiced what was on all our minds.

"That's right." Splinter stated quietly.

"Water dispersement is very common in this area." Jyu explained carefully lowering the turtle back into the water. "Ponds become rivers; rivers become lakes and sometimes the ponds dry out." She stated.

"Turtles in the area once laid their eggs here." She continued waving a hand around the area. "But the water dried up last year, the land became hard and the baby turtles couldn't dig their way out." She explained sadly.

"Is he going to be okay?" Mikey asked gently touching the turtle's shell which hadn't moved an inch yet.

"We'll have to wait and see." She stated moving the box so it would receive more sun light. "And we'll need to keep him warm."

"Shouldn't we take him back to the castle?" I asked worriedly.

"We will." She proclaimed. "But first we need to find any _others_ that might be here."

…

We ended up staying out there gently shifting through soil and mud until it was nearly dark until Jyu and Splinter finally called it as too late and we returned home, but not before we had rescued _46_ baby turtles from the earth.

We quickly changed the water when we got back and put them in a larger container where we continued to watch them for movement but still got none, I was honestly starting to worry they had all _died_.

Jyu allowed us to bring them home for the night where we immediately introduced them to our _basking room_. We had made it during our first winter in Japan and had modeled it after Kale's except it was a bit _bigger_.

It had once been an extra room in the house but we'd torn up the floor boards and layered the hole with some electric heating things Donnie had made that looked and felt like heating rocks, we had then proceeded to flood the room with hundreds of buckets of specialized sand we had acquired from some abandoned pet stores and wal-marts in the area.

After that we had only needed to add some UV lamps, heating pads and a special vitamin powder Kale had taught us to make that we could absorb through our skin and voilà; the perfect place to spend cold nights when the sun had not broken cloud cover for days.

We ended up carefully laying the little turtle sanctuary over one of the large heating pads making sure to optimize the UV light by placing it in the area we had found to be the warmest. Carefully changing the water again we then proceeded to stand watch over them for the rest of the night.

Between the anxiety and Leo's constant pacing I didn't think we had a chance in hell of falling asleep but when we woke up to Splinter gently prodding us from our dreams It would seem that the UV light had gotten to us after all.

"Go' morning, Sensei." Leo muttered around his yawn trying to sit up while the rest of us just glared at things in our tired states.

Splinter smiled warmly at us before saying. "There is something _waiting_ for you, my sons." It took us a minute to put the pieces together again but once we did we were all immediately awake.

A whole half a second later we had materialized back at the turtle tub where we couldn't help but cheer when we found the container full of little _moving _turtles.

"They're alive, they're alive." Mikey chanted dancing around like an idiot but I didn't have the heart to smack him for in truth I nearly wanted to join him.

"Yes, my sons." Splinter answered. "Thanks to you."

…

Some of the baby turtles had eventually required a little more time to recuperate but in the end _every single one_ of them had survived. To say we were amazed was an understatement.

My brothers and I had honestly feared that we would loose them all, we could never have hoped in our wildest dreams that not even _one_ would give up the fight, it made me truly honored to be one of their kind.

It was amazing that these little turtles, most were no bigger than a quarter, could survive being _buried alive_ at all, however when Jyu explained to us just _how long _they had been buried we suddenly harbored a whole new respect for them.

To think they had hatched from their eggs and unable to dig their way free had hibernated underground for _3_ _months_ it was amazing to think that something so _small_ could be so _resilient_? It was truly inspiring.

I almost didn't want to see them go but we knew the importance of releasing them back into the wild and Jyu had located a really nice area near a large pond that was more than likely to survive the water dispersal thing and together my brothers and I released the baby turtles onto the shore.

It took them little time at all to locate the water and head toward it at top speed, obviously whoever had said that turtles were _slow_ hadn't met _these_ turtles.

We found ourselves cheering them on as the first ones slid into the water and disappeared followed closely by the second wave and in only a matter of minutes every one of them had disappeared into the pond.

"Hey?" Mikey suddenly said and we all looked around to find him kneeling next to the box and crowding around him again we found what the problem was. One of the turtles had been left behind.

From the looks of it he was actually the first one I had found, we could tell from the little mark on his shell that Jyu had put there to identify him.

"Go on." Mikey encouraged pointing at the pond like he feared the little guy was lost, but the turtle only pulled its head in and watched us cautiously.

I of course was not one to take 'no' for an answer and quickly picked up the little critter and ran back to the water line with my brothers right behind and they watched as I put the animal on the shore mere inches from the water.

"Come on you can do it." I stated when the turtle stuck its head out to touch the water before pulling it back in again.

"What's the matter?" Leo asked as Jyu and Splinter walked up to asses the situation.

"Let's see." Jyu said absent-mindedly as she picked up the turtle again and began to check him out.

"What's wrong with him?" Mikey asked but the answer was interrupted when we heard the creature start to click.

_"Hurt?"_ I asked it in shock reverting to our old language seamlessly. _"Hurt where?"_

Splinter whispered something into Jyu's ear and she gently lowered her hand so we could all speak to the turtle.

_"Shell?"_ Mikey repeated looking at it from all directions trying to see what the problem was.

"What did he say?" Splinter asked kindly.

"He said his shell hurts." Leo explained and Jyu quickly made to check him out again.

"I was afraid of that." She said making us all suddenly nervous.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked worriedly when the turtle stopped speaking to us again as it seemed he was in quite a bit of discomfort and didn't feel like talking anymore.

"We'll have to take him back." Jyu said standing up again. "We'll see what we can do for him."

"But what about the others?" Mikey whined looking back at the pond. "He has to go _with_ them."

"I don't know if he'll be _able_ to." Jyu explained sadly. "A turtle's shell is very sensitive, you know this yourselves if it's _damaged_ he may not be able to _survive_ in the wild."

"No." I argued sternly.

"What about his brothers and sisters?" Mikey added.

"I'm sorry." Jyu said laying a hand on his shoulder. "These things just happen sometimes." We all proceeded to pout as we watched the turtle pull all the way back into his shell before following our elder back to the castle.

…

I held the little turtle in my hands gently and watched as Donnie flipped through a book on 'turtles and tortoises' trying to find the problem, but the more we learned about turtle shells and everything that could go wrong with them the more we both worried for our newest addition even more.

Fungal infections, vitamin deficiency, SCUD, shell rot, cracked shell, white patches, black spots, red lines, soft shell, soft spots, _holes_; the list went on and on, but continuing to talk to the turtle about his symptoms Donnie eventually came to focus on one in particular; _pyramiding_.

Donnie explained it as gently as he could but it still didn't sound good. A shell deformity caused by malnutrition and inadequate sunlight that resulted in the shell growing uneven most often taking on a _pyramid _shape and what's more once it had started it could _not _be reversed.

The book showed stages of it from being barely noticeable to _severely_ life-threatening and pictures of turtles and tortoises awkwardly hunched over as their shells distorted their bodies some even to the point of being unable to _walk_ was almost more than I could handle.

But when my little brother turned a page and suddenly _winced_ I'd had enough and immediately closed the book and threw it away. Even Donnie who was probably the biggest bookworm on the planet showed little concern for the mistreatment of the tome.

"At least now we know what it is." He whispered and I nodded. "The book said it can't be reversed but it _can _be treated. We just need to keep him healthy." I nodded again gently moving the turtle onto my knee so I could pet him.

"We can do it." I said a few minutes later before addressing the little turtle. "Right _Spike_?"

Donnie slowly looked around to give me a quizzical look. "Spike?" He repeated questionably.

"Yeah." I proclaimed sternly. "That pyramid thing – it looked kind of like _spikes_." I explained earning another weird look from my brother but it wasn't up to him and I gently lifted the turtle up so I could see his reaction. "What do you think? Ya like it?" I asked him and I swear the little creature actually _smiled_ at me.

…

Several months later

I expertly wielded the rope dart while I waited for Roku to show up. I was still nowhere near learning _every_ weapon technique there was but I was getting closer to my requirement for Jounin.

I built up my speed with the chain before wrapping it around a helpless log and threw it across the yard to smash against a rock. Something about training through the process of making timber had become unusually relaxing since it had helped me control my strength and of course it was also good practice for when I needed a _target_ as well.

"Ah, a ninja and his lil toys, isn' it cute?" Roku's voice stated and I turned to glare at him as he walked from the woods.

"_Must_ ya do that?" I asked annoyed. "Hey!" I yelled in a panic as he picked up Spike from the place I had placed him and proceeded to set him on a precariously placed board that started to immediately tip due to the imbalance.

I rushed forward and safely caught the little turtle before he hit the ground and instantly started to check him for damage. "Ya okay lil buddy?" I asked him as he slowly brought himself back out of his shell and clicked at me that he was.

"Roku." I yelled as I got back to my feet. "Ya can't _do _that." I argued holding Spike to my plastron protectively.

"Why?" The bear asked absent-mindedly as he sat down and started to work on another of his projects without a care in the world.

"Because ya _can't_." I insisted and he looked at me skeptically. "He's _sick_, ya can't treat him like that." I added angrily, I had already made a big point of telling him this but he refused to listen.

"And ya feel that by protecting him yu're doing him right, not encouraging him ta believe he is weak and never see past that ta his true _strengths_?" Roku asked seriously and I couldn't help but look at him in shock. "If ya continue ta treat someone like they're sick then they _will_ be _sick_." He added ensuring that he had direct eye-contact with me.

"Ya of all people should understand the value of the placebo-effect." He continued simply. "After all it's what _fuels_ yur incredible strength."

"I know that, but –"

"I understand that yu're protective of yur friend, Raphael." He continued kindly. "I too have friends that I would wish for nothing more than ta always stay safe." He explained and I couldn't help but notice the strange way he looked at me out of the corner of his eye as he said this. "Ya already know the value of letting go but I fear ya have lost it."

I looked back at the little turtle in my hands as he said this and couldn't deny that what he said was true. Spike had become a member of my family and I couldn't help but want to protect him, but in doing so it seemed that I had lost track of my true goal.

I looked back up as Roku silently placed his hand on my shoulder. "Do ya think he's ready?" I asked quietly.

Roku smiled kindly at me and touched Spike's shell in thought. "Perhaps not for the _wild_, but I da think he is ready for the next step."

…

"This is yur idea of the _next step_?" I asked unbelievingly and he gave me a look. "Sorry." I added quickly and turned to examine the clear water. I knew that really shouldn't be so butt-hurt as it was only the castle's pond; the same one we had used for our Chunin exam. It wasn't that far from home and it really was the perfect place for my newest little brother.

But I couldn't make myself let go.

"Raphael." Roku said kindly placing his big paw on my shoulder reassuringly. "I know it's hard."

"No ya don't." I demanded suddenly and he seemed to almost pause at the level of hatred that had so quickly bled into my voice. In fact even I really had no idea where it came from all I knew was that it wasn't going away. "Ya don't know _anything_."

"Raphael." Roku commanded in a slightly more assuring tone.

"No." I suddenly yelled backing away from him. "Ya don't know what it was like. Ya didn' have ta live in a cage and _know_ there were others right next ta ya, but ya couldn' _touch_ them." I insisted and he seemed to almost pull back in shock as I continued. "Ya didn' watch them be taken away and never come back."

"I _promised_, I _swore _ta myself that I would _stop_ it." I went on pulling into myself in defense. "But I _didn'_." I said and he paused in his motion of reaching out to me. "They took Donnie and I couldn' stop them. I fought as hard as I could but it wasn't enough."

"They took Leo and Mike and I wasn' even given the _chance_ ta fight back." I went on and shrank away more as Roku walked up to me. "I _can't_ just give up I _can't_."

"It's alright Raphael." Roku stated and I jumped as he laid his hand on my shoulder, but he didn't allow me to pull away. "I can't even _pretend _ta understand what ya had to go through but ya can't let it _influence_ yur life here." He stated and I risked the chance to look up at him again. "If ya give in ta the pain and let it control ya _they'll_ _win_."

I looked back at Spike as I mulled this over and he turned to look at me sensing my pain and confusion. "I _can't_." I finally told him sadly.

"You _can_." Roku insisted and knelt in front of me. "Ya just need ta take it a lil' _slower_."

…

A little slower turned out to be _a lot_ slower but I really don't think I could have done it any other way. We started out small letting Spike swim in the pond for a minute or so before fishing him out again and thankfully he was a good sport as we gradually moved onto _hours_ but I was always allowed to _see_ him.

However it took a while for me to adjust to leaving him to swim on his own while I trained nearby with Roku It seemed like no matter how hard I tried to focus on my moves and techniques I was constantly distracted by what _could _be happening just a few feet away.

Eventually Roku found the solution by nearly _cutting_ _my_ _head_ _off_. He would bear down on me with such force that the only way I could hope to survive was to give the fight my full attention. It was dangerous but it worked and he was able to distract me so completely that at times I nearly _forgot_ about Spike altogether.

Next we moved onto leaving the little turtle behind while Roku trained me elsewhere in the complex and at first it wasn't so bad but as the hours eventually wore on into nearly the _whole day_ I thought for sure that I would loose my mind.

Then came the _overnighter_ and I didn't sleep a wink.

My brothers tried to be there for me and we even ended up sleeping in the basking room but unfortunately I wasn't just unruly I was pain _mean_. Eventually Mikey and Leo were forced to retire to their own rooms again which I couldn't very well blame them for as they both had _long_ training sessions planed for the next day and needed their sleep.

Donnie was the only one that stayed with me all night but I could tell I had nearly driven him to the _brink_ of his patience as well. He hardly talked to me at all the next day whether from anger or sleep deprivation I wasn't really sure, but judging from some of the _looks _he gave me over breakfast it was probably both.

As soon as Splinter had excused us from morning meditation I booked it toward the pond almost before our father had given the word to leave. However I didn't get very far before nearly colliding headlong into a self-defense class student in the process of short-cutting it straight across the courtyard.

"I'm sorry." I stated immediately moving to help her back to her feet but quickly stopped as she got up to _glare_ at me.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" She ordered placing her hands on her hips. I honestly tried to answer or at the very least apologize again but I just couldn't stop looking at her. "What?" She demanded and I snapped out of it.

"I – I'm sorry, I didn' – I didn' – mean ta –" I attempted but for some reason I couldn't untie my tongue long enough to finish my statement.

She seemed to realize this herself as a little smile suddenly appeared on her face and her posture became less defensive. "Easy there Trigger." She proclaimed with a friendly laugh. "I don't _bite_."

"No." I answered on auto pilot and she laughed.

"Lisa." Someone called from across the yard and she looked toward the voice. "We're starting." They declared.

"I'm coming." _Lisa_ answered and turned back to me with a smile. "See ya later Trigger." She proclaimed sweetly and reached out to pat my face attractively. "Try not to plow over anyone else okay." She asked and I nodded causing her to smile again before walking off to rejoin her class.

All I could do was stand there and stare after her like she was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. Okay so in truth _she was_. Since moving to the castle my brothers and I had met a lot of mutants our own age but so far none of them had been even _remotely_ closeto our own _species_.

But _Lisa_ was different though it was still obvious that she wasn't a turtle she was close enough that I could literally _sense_ her. It wasn't like how I could sense my brothers, but more like how I had sensed other turtles.

"If I had known it was that easy ta distract ya I would have _introduced_ ya ta her." I nearly jumped out my skin when Roku said this and promptly spun around to find him leaning up against a tree giving me some kind of all-knowing grin.

"How long have ya been standing there?" I asked immediately and he snorted.

"Long enough." He commented and I couldn't stop myself from blushing at the idea of him _seeing_ my display of speech impairment toward the girl. "Pretty isn' she?" He asked nodding toward the group of students as they began their training session.

"Do ya _know_ her?" I asked curiously.

"Sure." He proclaimed pushing himself away from the tree to walk up to me. "She's been coming here for about a month now."

"Really?" I asked in shock, how on earth had I not noticed her before now?

"Ah, young love." The bear suddenly joked placing his arm around my shell so he could force me to walk with him. "Isn' it beautiful?"

"What –" I stuttered. "No, that's not what it is. I – I just – she's –"

"Don' get your shell in a twist." He laughed.

"But she's not –" I tried to explain looking back at the class.

"I understand." He proclaimed still pushing me forward. "I've met a few female bear mutants in my day too, but ya never forget yur _first_." He stated with a grin and I blushed even more if that was possible. "Her friends call her _Mona_ _Lisa_ by the way." He explained and I looked up.

"Like the _painting_?" I asked and he smiled.

"That' right San had ya guys da that Renaissance Art assignment didn' she?" He commented.

"Yeah." I stated with a small pout as I remembered the occasion. "But Mona Lisa was _Leo's_ project."

The bear mutant suddenly burst out laughing and I had to cover my ears in response. "Oh the _humanity_." He joked and I glared at him. "By the way." He started again after laughing at me for well over a minute. "Yur little friend is still waiting for ya."

"What?" I asked in confusion before remembering with a start. "_Spike_." I panicked and quickly raced off to check the pond.

…

I had nearly forgotten what a pain-in-the-ass Roku was when it came to _fighting_ him, but _lucky_ _for_ _me_ he had noticed my non-stressful life and decided to remind me of the importance of being completely pissed off.

I still couldn't figure out how such a big guy could move so fast as he had already hit me over 20 times in the last hour alone while I hadn't even landed one. I knew he was only trying to keep my mind off of Spike but it didn't help that I was already irritated.

Leo and I had had a nasty fight that morning and ended up caught and punished by Splinter all before we'd even had breakfast and on top of that I just seemed to be full of rage today and nothing I did seemed to satisfy it. Needless to say I had been looking forward to a good brawl to get my mind off things but to do that I needed a target I could actually _hit_.

"Come on!" Roku suddenly proclaimed with a smirk and promptly dodged another of my strikes to materialize behind me and knock his fist against my shell which only served to tick me off even more. "Keep movin', find yar balance." He added but I had a hard time hearing him through my growing anger.

I knew I had to calm down I was only clouding my judgment, but for some reason I just couldn't get over how annoyed I was as all I wanted was to hit something, over and over preferably.

"Alright let' take a break." He ordered calmly after I had nearly gotten my wish only for him to step out-of-the-way just in time for me to run into a stupid tree. It didn't take me but half a second to notice that he wasn't _smirking _like he usually was, almost like he _knew _I had nearly had him and was choosing to stop the round before I could win.

"No!" I growled in retaliation before throwing myself back into the fight forcing him to take me seriously.

"Raphael, I said that's enough!" He ordered demandingly as he dodged again.

"Why?" I demanded throwing another punch and missed. "Because I'm getting' closer? Because you don't want to _loose_?"

"That has nothin ta do with it." He tried to tell me but I quickly interrupted him as I threw another hit, this time I actually felt the fur on his arm as my fist passed through the air not even an _inch_ away from hitting him however I still ended up making contact with the rock behind him instead.

It was almost like it hadn't been there at all as the thing was promptly reduced to nothing but a pile of dust so fast that I couldn't even readjust to avoid collapsing into the soggy ground when my momentum remained unaffected by the obstacle.

It was only when the cold mud hit my face that I realized something was seriously wrong and my anger quickly evaporated as I looked down at my hands to find that I had broken something, but it wasn't _that_ pain I was concerned about.

"Raph." Roku stated gently as he knelt down to my level looking me over with an almost _panicked _expression. "What' wrong? What happened?" He demanded but my only response was to clutch at my shirt in discomfort.

"Roku." I finally answered after sucking in an extremely painful breath of air. "My _heart _hurts."

…

"Raphael!" A familiar voice stated as I started to come to, even though I didn't recall passing out as I opened my eyes again and came to realize that I was in the infirmary.

"Raphael?" The voice asked again and I turned to find Jordan looking down at me with concern. "Are you in any pain?" He asked quickly and I shock my head leading him to ask a few more questions which I answered to the best of my ability.

"Raph." Another voice said after he had finished and I turned to find Mikey was nearly crawling up onto my bed trying to see if I was okay. He had obviously been crying which made me feel even worse, if that was possible.

Looking around some more I found Leo and Splinter perched near the foot board both of whom looking just plain _lost_ while Roku sat in a chair behind them watching me with a mixture of worry and relief.

"What happened?" I finally gathered the strength to ask as my father placed a hand on my shoulder as if to reassure himself that I was actually there.

"You had a –" Jordan tried before taking a breath and finished. "A _heart_ _attack_."

I found myself fearfully clutching at the bed sheet under me as that sank in and I realized what it meant. Jordan had taken us aside years ago and explained the _black needle_; the drug we'd been given as children.

He wanted to make sure that we knew the signs of it resurfacing and part of that was a _defection_ that arose from the _abilities _we'd gotten from it. The things we could do were _not_ natural by any stretch of the imagination and as such our bodies were not actually built to _withstand_ some of the stuff we did which resulted in negative side affects.

According to Jordan we were all basically _prone_ to medical problems. For Leo, Donnie and Mikey; whose abilities were mostly connected to their brains the risk of stroke, secures and memory loss were real threats. But for me where my power was purely physical a _heart attack_ would often be the result of pushing myself too hard for too long.

Deciding that I was sick of looking up at people I quietly maneuvered into a sitting position only to nearly double over again when my plastron suddenly flared with pain. "Who's been dancing on my chest?" I asked sourly toward no one particular.

"_I_ have." Donnie's voice suddenly broke into the conversation and I looked up to see him walking through the doorway with a somewhat disgruntled look about him.

"One of these days I swear I'm gonna save _your _life." I declared with a smirk in his direction however instead of telling me that it 'wasn't a contest' he just studied me for a minute before silently walking to the other side of the room where he sat at a desk without another word.

"Did I miss something?" I commented quietly watching his back as he worked.

"He's probably just tired." Jordan told me gently.

"Yeah." Mikey continued with a big goofy grin. "He made an _antidote_."

"What?" I asked in shock.

"Donnie, he made an antidote for the _Retalion_." Leo explained simply.

"You're kiddin'." I proclaimed unbelievingly. "You said it couldn't be cured." I added in Jordan's direction this time and he quickly opened his mouth to answer but was beat to the chase.

"It _can't_." Donnie answered instead. "And it's not a _cure_, just a _temporary_ solution to the Retalion's side-effects." He muttered still not looking at us as he spoke.

"Why is he mad at me?" I whispered in Leo's direction but he just made a pained expression and turned away as though it wasn't his place to answer.

…

I ended up spending the night at the infirmary just to make sure everything was kosher which meant that Mikey, Donnie and Leo spent the night too which meant that Splinter would need a bed as well which made everything very – _crowded_.

After waking up to Mikey's kicking for the 6-tillionth time I noticed someone was missing, _again_ and I carefully excused myself from the room to find him.

Knowing Donnie as well as I did I was right to look in his little makeshift lab however I had expected to find him _working_, as it was a nasty little habit he had when he couldn't sleep but instead it was something very different.

"Donnie?" I asked the shadow in the corner that was clearly the curled up form of my brother and he immediately looked up at me and I could tell that he'd been crying.

Which was _unacceptable_.

We may have drawn comfort from that when we were little but we no longer needed it today. Not when we had each other.

I quickly sat down and told him as such which I had hoped would at least earn me a little smile. But unfortunately he wasn't Mikey he didn't fall for those random spouts of mushy goodness.

"Are ya okay?" I asked after I had waited a minute to see if he would respond.

"No." He answered honestly and I winced. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell ya what?" I asked honestly confused by his sudden accusation. "Ow!" I cried out when he responded by decking me in the shoulder and I quickly turned back to voice my complaint only to promptly shut my trap when I found that he was thoroughly _pissed_.

It wasn't very often that I'd seen Donnie this mad but we'd learned quickly that when he was it was best to just shut up and listen.

However he _surprisingly_ didn't seem to have anything to say as he just stared at me for another minute before getting to his feet and walked out the door. Now I knew I was in trouble.

Not willing to let that be the end of it I quickly got up to follow him only to nearly run smack into his fist.

"Hey!" I complained rubbing my plastron sourly.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?" He demanded again. "You're _supposed_ to tell me when something's wrong. This'll never _work _if we don't _communicate_." He suddenly argued off topic.

"Wait! What?" I asked more than a little confused as to what was roiling around in that brain of his.

"Forget it." He quickly added and started to walk off again but I swiftly risked another gut-check to get in front of him.

"No, what did ya mean?" I demanded. "_What_ won't work?"

Instead of hitting me this time he just folded his arms and glared out a window and it was by the light of the moon shinning through said window that I finally noticed that he was _shaking_.

"Somethin' happened didn't it?" I asked trying to keep my voice down so we didn't wake the whole building. "Donnie, talk to me!"

"I wasn't ready for that, Raph." He suddenly said obviously struggling to keep his cool. "I'm still in training, I – I wasn't _ready_."

Even though he hadn't actually answered my question somehow I just _knew _as I watched him fold in on himself as if he were physically trying to keep from falling apart.

"I stopped _breathing_?" It was more of a statement than a question but it still got his attention as he finally looked back at me and after a minute nodded in confirmation. "You kept me going." I added as the pieces fell into place and he nodded again.

"Oh god." I swore leveling my head into my hand as that information set in. No wonder he was so mad.

"I need your help, Raph." He suddenly responded and I looked up again to find he was slightly calmer than he had been before which allowed me to relax a little myself.

"With what?" I asked immediately willing to do anything to make it up to him at this point.

"I realized something today." He explained calmly turning to look out the window again. "I found it." He continued. "My place on this team; I can _heal_, I can _help_ but I'm not a fighter and I never will be."

"Hey!" I quickly retaliated, he could insult me all he wanted but I would be damned if I sat by and let him insult my _brother_.

"I need someone there." He went on simply as if I hadn't even spoken. "I have to be able to do my job I can't afford to loose any time. Someone has to be there to watch my back."

"What do you need from me?" I stated immediately more than willing to take up that position.

"Communication?" He answered simply before explaining further. "I need to know when you're hurt. If something's wrong I have to take care of it _immediately_!" He added sternly. "I can't take the risk of you falling, if you did than _I _would be next." He stated absentmindedly as if he was remembering something that physically _hurt_ him to think about.

"Don." I stated quietly trying to pull him back.

"I can _save_ us, Raph." He suddenly proclaimed seriously causing me to take a step back. "As long as I'm still standing I can keep us going, I can keep us _alive_."

As I came to realize the point he was trying to make with this I also realized that I really didn't like the _truth_ behind it. But he was right the way of life we were pursuing was dangerous and with danger came _injuries_.

One day soon he might be the only thing standing between us and _death_ and if the only thing he needed from me was a little of my pride than so be it.

"Alright." I finally agreed as we made eye contact again. "I _promise_ Donnie. No more secrets."

He didn't even need to think about that for a second before he nodded in agreement and I physically felt his confidence mending as the stress evaporated and the brother I remember revealed himself again.

"Thank you."

…

_(Leo's POV)_

The Day Before

The day started like any other complete with a wake-up-_battle_ courtesy of Raph who was particularly antsy this morning and even more so after we'd managed to get out of bed at the same time resulting in him nearly landing on me as he jumped from his.

"Hey watch it." He swore before I had a chance to apologize.

"Chill-out Raph." I told him before turning to head for the door willing to let it go this time as I knew he was still irritable about Spike's rehabilitation.

"Is that a _order_, Fearless?" He commented sourly and I stopped in my tracks to turn back around dangerously.

"Drop it!" I commanded with a growl.

"Oh, look at the _leader_." He proclaimed walking up to get in my face. "Thinks he's so high-an-mighty we should all _bow_ to him."

"I didn't say that –" I started to retaliate.

"Of course not." He interrupted. "'Cause it's _expected _of us right?"

"What's your problem?" I demanded turning completely toward him now as I got in his face.

"_You_, as usual." He declared loudly waking Donnie and Mikey in the process.

"Of course I am." I started coolly. "God forbid you actually grow a spine and _own-up _to your _own _problems, a lot easier to just blame it all on me." I knew I was pushing the wrong button this time and a part of me didn't really care until it came back to bite me.

Before I even noticed he had moved Raph was tackling me into the ground. I was able to quickly kick him off again and threw a punch in his wake but it didn't earn me enough time to get my bearings before he was back in the fight.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I registered Donnie and Mikey yelling at us to stop but I was too caught up in the battle to care at the moment, however a second later I was given no other choice but to acknowledge them when the end of a staff came out of nowhere and hit my plastron so hard I flew backward several feet.

"I said _that's ENOUGH_!" Donnie bellowed as he stood between us his weapon out and ready to beat us back down if we tried anything stupid. I barely had time to notice that Raph too had received a hit and was now sprawled out in the corner when a new voice entered the conversation.

"What is going on here?" Splinter demanded from the doorway and we all turned to find him taking in each one of us with such a level of calm that we knew he was _livid_ on the inside. "Raphael." He suddenly called making us all jump. "Go to the dojo, wait for me there. Leonardo, my room _now_!"

"_Hai_ sensei." We both answered and quickly made to go to our appointed places while he talked with our remaining siblings.

…

It would seem that I was the last on his list as Splinter finally entered the room after nearly _20_ minutes and stood over me as I knelt respectfully in front of his meditation mat.

"Explain." He demanded and I swallowed nervously as I collected my thoughts.

"I'm sorry Sensei." I started quietly. "I shouldn't have let it get that far."

"If you truly regretted your actions it would never have happened." He quoted before knelling before me stiffly. "So why did it?"

"I – I don't know." I admitted truthfully quickly closing my eyes when I felt tears beginning to form. "I don't know father." I repeated shaking my head slowly. "I don't know what's wrong and I don't know how to make it _stop_."

I heard him sigh as I quickly moved to wipe my face, for some reason I didn't feel like I _deserved _the comfort of water at the moment.

"You're going to be late." He finally answered calmly and I looked up to find the rising sun peeking through the shoji doors at the back of his room and realized that my training with Ichi had started five minutes ago.

"Try to find the answer." He added and I bowed in agreement. "We will discuss it more tonight."

…

Ichi ended up kicking my ass all over the dojo as he attempted to improve my speed and reflex in a sparing match. Unfortunately for me such a thing required a lot of concentration to do correctly something that I was obviously lacking in today.

"What troubles you, Leonardo?" He finally asked after I had fallen flat on my back in an attempt to hit him with a punch that didn't even come close.

I sighed before pushing myself up and crossed my legs as I answered. "Raph and I got in a fight this morning. A _bad _one."

"Ah." He proclaimed as if that explained everything. "And just when I was beginning to think you four were _immune_ to the squabbles of brotherhood." I looked up in confusion when he said this as something about his words sounded – _knowing_.

He turned and smiled when he realized I was looking at him and sat down across from me as he continued. "You are not the _only _one with sibling issues, Leonardo."

"You have brothers?" I asked in shock and he laughed lightly before going on.

"_Sisters_ actually." He corrected. "Made it very hard to avoid conflicts even on the good days, but I wouldn't have traded them for anything."

"Do I know them?" I asked curiously and he smiled a _sad _little smile as he answered.

"Unfortunately _Jyu_ is the only one that remains." He proclaimed quietly. "The other three left this world behind long ago."

"Oh." I stated simply before looking at the floor with a disheartened gaze. "I'm sorry."

"I miss them terribly." He admitted. "But I will see them again."

I looked back up as he said this and suddenly realized just how _old_ he looked. He always seemed so strong that it was easy to forget he was already in his late 80's I couldn't help but wonder how much longer before Jyu was the last?

I wonder how long it would be before my brother's and I started to worry about the same thing. Just because we were too young to be thinking about it didn't mean the unknown didn't _haunt_ us at night.

Would we go together or one at a time? Who would be the _last_?

"Leonardo." Ichi suddenly said and I acknowledged his call as he went on. "You are still young and you are well trained. This is not something you need to concern yourself with just yet."

I opened my mouth to respond when I was interrupted by a sudden intense _need _to see my brothers.

"Leonardo?" He asked obviously concerned about my random change of attitude as I looked around the room in a panic trying to figure out what was wrong. "What is the matter?" He requested before I quickly shot to my feet and started for the door.

"Something's wrong Sensei, I have to go." I told him hurriedly before throwing the door open and bolted out into the courtyard where I quickly changed direction and headed for the garden.

I made it just in time to watch the end of Raph and Roku's fight before my brother suddenly started clawing at his heart in pain and collapsed to the ground.

"Raph!" I yelled and quickly booked it to his side in a panic causing Roku to immediately look up from his attempt to help; obviously very surprised to see me there. But that was nothing compared to his reaction to Donnie suddenly jumping over the wall behind his house to land like a cat on this side.

I made it to Raph first as I was a lot closer but I didn't try to move him as Donnie was the expert here and I didn't want to do anything that might make it worse.

"Raph?" He called in a hurry quickly falling to his knees to check his pulse before roiling him over to listen for his heartbeat. "_No_!" He suddenly cried and crawled over to straddle our brother where he started performing chest compressions.

"Oh god, please no." I begged quietly.

"What's happening?" Ichi's voice suddenly asked and I looked up just in time to spot Mikey skidding around a corner to push his way through the crowd of people starting to gather.

"Raph?" He declared in tears as he made it to us and I quickly got up to gather him in my arms so he wouldn't be in the way. "Raph!"

"It's okay Mikey, it's okay." I told him trying not to pass my own panic onto him. "Just let him work."

It didn't take long for Jordan and Jyu to appear on the scene as well which instantly had Donnie quickly ordering Perry to get him something from the infirmary while he continued to force Raph's heart to beat.

"Leo." He suddenly begged completely out of breath and I was at his side in an instant where I immediately realized that he had a problem.

Some time ago our plastrons had evolved to feature a _hinged_ _plate_ that would actually _collapse_ during a deep dive and protect our rib case and organs from the water pressure. As a result they were also _flexible_ enough to perform chest compressions on without causing harm.

However it was clear that Donnie couldn't keep them up as he didn't have the strength to force his way through the armor and continue the sensitive rhythm.

"I got it." I informed him watching where he had his hands and moved over to take his place so he could rest.

Jordan was back within a minute with some kind of fancy needle which Donnie immediately snatched from his hand and descended on Raph's arm, found a vain in record time and injected the new substance straight into Raph's bloodstream. I continued to do the chest compressions until he told me to stop and I quickly backed up to give him room to check for a heartbeat again.

It was at that moment that Raph suddenly took in a huge breath of oxygen and everyone immediately released the air they had been holding. Donnie continued to fuss over him for another minute making sure his pulse was normal and his breathing was regular. Though he was obviously still concerned that he wasn't conscious a minute later he finally gave Jyu and her doctor's permission to move him.

"Donnie?" I stated quietly when most of the people had left and I turned to find him in the grip of a panic attack. "It's okay." I told him gently as he reached out to grip my shirt.

"Easy _otouto._" I proclaimed rubbing his back reassuringly. "You did well he's okay now." I knew I didn't need to tell him this as he was already well aware of the fact. But he needed to hear my voice it gave him something to hold onto something that would keep him grounded in the moment so he wouldn't completely loose it.

I doubt this was what the elders had in mind to be the first real test of his new medical skills, as it was pretty obvious that he hadn't been ready fro something that serious. Yet he had still closed himself off to the truth in front of him and performed the task at hand, I had to admit I was proud of him for it too, I could never have done something like that.

However now that the worst was over he needed to revert back into normal-mode, give himself time to take it all in and learn how to _feel_ again.

I looked up when I felt a hand on my shoulder and found it was Splinter. He looked like he had aged several years since that morning but was obviously revealed to find that we were all okay, _mostly_.

"How's Raph?" I asked in a small voice.

"He is fine." He answered kindly. "Your brother is with him." It was at that moment that I noticed Mikey was no longer there. I had told him to wait for us but it looked as though he hadn't listened though I guess that was to be expected.

"I better go stay with him." I said quietly and my father nodded before moving to gently take Donnie into his arms and provide the comfort I was discontinuing. I watched them for only a minute to make sure everything was okay before hurrying off to find my baby brother.

…

_Otouto ~ Little brother_

…

Mikey spent a lot of time curled up in my lap as we waited for Raph to open his eyes again and ended up snuggling into my side once Raph had gone to locate Donnie that night. We didn't follow as we knew there was something that needed to be said amongst the two of them and it was not our place to pry.

The following morning Jyu released him with a clean bill of heath however we were all ordered to take a mandatory week of down time which even I couldn't complain about at the moment. However when we got home a few minutes later it was only to find Ichi waiting there for us.

"Yoshi." He said kindly as he moved to speak with our father. "We are in agreement?" I looked between the two adults in confusion as they nodded about something before leading the way into the house where we discovered _bags_ waiting for us.

"What's goin' on?" Mikey asked eyeing the backpacks curiously.

"You are going on a trip, my sons." Splinter explained simply.

"But we just got back." Mikey responded before I elbowed him in the ribs.

"I am aware." Splinter revealed before handing me a roll of paper. "But there is something you four must do, something you must _find_." He added as I opened the page to discover it was actually a _map_ which of course caused Mikey to perk up immediately with excitement.

"Treasure?" He asked quickly and the elders smiled before Ichi spoke up.

"Indeed." He revealed and Mikey promptly punched the air as he danced around in joy. "It is a most _precious_ treasure." He went on. "But nothing worthy of search will be _easy_ to obtain."

"Is that a fancy way of saying we'll have to _work_?" My youngest brother commented sourly.

"_Shut-up Mikey!_" Donnie, Raph and I quickly countered in annoyance

…

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Raph asked as we maneuvered through a forest of bamboo trying to find where the map was leading us to.

"To be honest – I have no idea." Donnie admitted sourly turning the map this way and that as if hoping to see our destination if he looked at it from a different angle. But after another minute he ended up glancing around the area with just as much confusion as before.

"Let's just stay on the path." I ordered but only took a grand total of two steps before another wrench was thrown into my plan.

"What _path_? There is no path." Raph complained truthfully. Over the years the mutagen had caused the bamboo in the area to grow so out of control that it was wonder we could see the ground at all.

"There must have been one here as one time." Mikey's voice declared from somewhere up ahead and I looked skeptically as the wall of wood between me and him before sighing loudly in annoyance.

"Okay." I proclaimed calmly. "I've had enough of this." I added before jumping up to one of the grass-like trees and started rebounding my way to the top where I was joined by my brothers a second later.

Balancing on the end of a tree had become a regular exercise for us as it was usually the only way we could get our bearings in an increasingly overgrown world but it didn't help us this time as there was nothing but bamboo for as far as we could see.

"Great, now what?" Raph proclaimed grouchily.

"Follow the path." I instructed again with a sigh and started making my way forward over the jungle of balancing polls.

…

Hours later we were still walking on stilts with no sign of a reprieve causing Donnie to check the map again just to make sure we were going the right way.

"It should be around here somewh –" He started to say before jumping when he was rudely interrupted.

"Hey look!" Mikey suddenly called out loudly and we quickly turned to find him pointing down at something.

"What?" Raph asked in annoyance trying to see what he was talking about.

"There's a – _hole_." He answered simply earning three identically confused looks. "It's there I swear." He added before making his way to the ground again. Donnie and Raph turned to me with a questioning look but I just motioned for them to follow and started down myself.

"Mikey." Raph grumbled as we looked around the area thoughtfully for a minute with nothing to show for it. "There's nothin' here."

"I know I saw it." He retaliated walking around in a circle with his head down as he carefully searched the ground for whatever it was he had seen. "It was right about _Heeeeere_!" We promptly looked back at him as his voice suddenly faded out only to find a hole in the ground where he once stood.

"Mikey!" Raph yelled running over to the hole before I could stop him which was promptly accompanied by a loud *_crack_* as if we were standing on ice.

"Raph, get away from there!" I ordered quickly only to be interrupted by another surprised yelp behind me and turned to find Donnie clinging to the edge of the earth trying to avoid falling into another hole. "Stop moving!" I quickly called out and we all froze.

"Mike?" Raph asked the first hole leaning over as much as he dared to see into the darkness.

"I'm okay." He called back through a round of coughing and we all took a collective breath of relief. I was about to answer him when another soundcaught my attention and I looked back around to find the area around Donnie slowly falling away in pieces to reveal that it was actually a pane of _glass_.

"Don't move!" I told him seriously and gently reached down to pick up a long bamboo branch before daring to take another step toward him and held out the other end. I had just gotten it within his reach when another loud *_crack_* sounded through the area and he quickly jumped in an attempt to grab it, but was an inch too short and he fell into the mystery hole as well.

"Donnie!" I called after him only to be answered with a – _splash_?

A second later I heard him cough sourly before responding with a, "That was _fun_."

"Well now what?" Raph asked irritably. He was obviously worried and wanted nothing more than to jump down and retrieve our little brother's but he was remaining where he stood waiting for me to make a call. It would seem that something about his heart attack had drained his bad temper enough for him to actually _listen_ to me.

"I don't know." I admitted dryly.

"Leo!" Donnie suddenly called again.

"What?"

"I think we _found_ it." He proclaimed coolly and I gave the hole a curious look as I took in that information before turning back to Raph who seemed just as confused.

"Guys!" Mikey suddenly spoke up again with an obvious smile in his voice. "You gotta _see_ this."

"Okay." I finally agreed; as my desire to rejoin my team won out in the end and I carefully moved to jump through the closest hole where I was forced to quickly reach out for a branch to stop my decent but the thing broke under the weight and I continued to plummet.

Thankfully my fall was cushioned by a small body of water but I only survived long enough to nearly swallow a bunch of liquid in shock when I opened my eyes to find a large _face _looking at me.

Taking a second to calm my nerves I studied the thing to find that it was just a stone statue. Looking around I noticed other forms of such art work many of which where covered in moss and otherwise damaged but their general form was still discernable.

Surfacing a minute later I turned to find Donnie reaching out to help me out of the water and I accepted the hand as he pulled me up to stand on an only slightly flooded platform.

The water sloshed around our feet quietly as we circled a large pillar to find our missing siblings standing atop the thing obviously very proud of their king-of-the-mountain skills.

"This place is _cool_." Mikey announced and I raised an eye-ridge in agreement as I looked around at the collapsed but still very impressive _temple_.

The huge arched room had nearly been completely overtaken by foliage and bamboo trees the size of tractor tires. The once polished floor was now a graveyard of crumbled blue and gold tiles; sprinkled with leaves and the crushed glass of painted windows that once adorned the ceiling. Those that remained were now completely hazed over and crowded with roots; allowing only a small filtering of sunlight to pass through.

Large tapestries that once told stories of heroes and gods now lay in relics among the crumbled remains of wooden terraces forever abandoned of their worshipers. Instead the only survivors of the war with time were the great stone pillars that still reinforced the outer walls.

"Okay." Raph proclaimed as they jumped down from their perch to stand with us again. "Just this once; I'm gonna have ta _agree_ with the little moron."

"Hey!" Mikey argued sourly though they obviously didn't mean any hostility, insulting you was just Raph's way of saying he was glad you were okay.

I left Donnie to sort them out and slowly made my way to the other end of the room where two elaborate mahogany doors hung on their hinges; creaking as they were pushed about by a moaning wind from deeper in the sanctuary.

Before reaching them however I looked up to see the face of a massive Buddha statue still visible through an outer covering of vines as it remained in meditation still guarding the entrance to its shrine.

I couldn't help but smile at its impressive ability to weather the storm and bowed respectfully toward it. However I promptly jumped back when a loud clunk and gust of air sounded from the base directly in front of me and I watched in aw as a huge stone suddenly receded into the earth to present a doorway with the Japanese words for '_Cave of Ordeals_' carved into the area above it.

"Whoa." Mikey proclaimed as my brothers rejoined me a second later. "How'd you do that?"

"I – _didn't_." I answered truthfully.

"Guys." Donnie suddenly said and we turned to find him studying the map again before flipping it around to show us what he had found. Looking at the area of the paper that showed our destination there was only a _black_ _square_ which we had honestly not gotten the meaning of, until now that is, as the large _square_ of darkness in front of us was the only indication that there was even an entrance there.

"Well I guess we've found our objective." I proclaimed obviously.

"Great." Mikey complained nervously. "Who wants to go into the happy-go-sunshine cave _first_?"

"Not it!" Donnie, Raph and Mikey all said at once and I promptly sighed in annoyance before taking my first step into the cavern. However we were only a few seconds in when the entrance suddenly closed behind us leaving us in pitch darkness that even our enhanced night-vision couldn't adjust to.

However Donnie quickly remedied that with a – _flashlight_.

"What?" He asked innocently when we all looked at him in shock. "I know we're ninja and all that but considering what happened the _last_ _time_ we were in a cave I'd rather be _prepared_."

Well I couldn't argue with that.

…

We were still walking several hours later when we realized we would have to _sleep _here for the night and start again in the morning. Thankfully Raph was ready with a length of bamboo and his knowledge of _explosives_ to give us a fire.

"Just do me a favor and don't blow us up." I proclaimed sourly before looking over my shoulder at Mikey who was prepared to use me as a shield if it came to it.

"Ye of little faith." Raph complained splitting the bamboo shaft with a kunai before preparing some shavings and finally started a fire-saw. An hour and enough smoke to suffocate us all later; he had finally started the blaze and proceeded to hum proudly to himself while we roasted what little food we had been allowed to bring with us.

I took first watch and spent the better part of the night just staring at the darkness, waiting for whatever had been _following _us to show itself.

…

We started again bright and early the next morning which was when we noticed that there were _torches _on the walls now and they were _lit_.

"We would have _seen_ those." Mikey proclaimed truthfully looking behind us in confusion to find that the fire pit we had used the night before was still sitting not three feet away; thus proving his point.

Deciding to check to make sure we weren't hallucinating I walked up to quietly investigate the phantom fire which only caused another torch to suddenly light _all_ _on_ _its_ _own_ a little farther ahead.

"Oook." Donnie stated slowly obviously he didn't have an explanation for the phenomenon or else he would have said something more intelligible.

I swallowed nervously before continuing into the tunnel. "Come on." I ordered quietly. "Stay together."

My brother's had no argument for such an action and quickly backed me up as I continued to follow the invisible person with a lighter.

After several minutes of following the living flames we noticed that the sound of our footfalls had changed and we looked down to discover that we were now walking on smooth marble instead of dirt and rocks. In fact the whole tunnel had changed drastically, from cave-like and dingy to flawless and almost _pleasant_.

"Dudes." Mikey announced quietly once we had rounded a corner to find a _light_ at the end of the tunnel. "This is getting creepy. Are you sure we're not _dead_?"

"If we are than we'd still want to go in the same direction." Donnie answered truthfully earning a glare from his only little brother.

"That does _not _make me feel better." He muttered sourly.

"Come on." I ordered distractedly still watching the light intently as we walked toward it carefully making sure to stay out of sight as we came out into a huge round room full of – _stars_.

"Whoa!" Mikey exclaimed and I nodded in agreement as I looked up at the almost _magical _ceiling that was blinking and shifting like the night sky itself. "How is it doing that?"

"I don't know." Donnie admitted looking around the room for anything that might explain this phenomenon.

"What's that?" Raph asked suddenly and pointed out to the middle of the area where we could see the shadow of an object. A minute later we had cautiously made our way to the thing only to find that it was just a small stone obelisk, however the rock was anything but normal as it actually shimmered and glowed like it was made of light itself.

"Weird." Mikey advertised as Donnie investigated the thing.

"Maybe an internal light source." He guessed.

"So you have no idea." Raph responded.

"None whatsoever." Donnie admitted sheepishly.

"What about –" I started to ask before being interrupted by the stone as it suddenly started glowing brighter.

"Guys." Mikey said quietly but I ignored him for the moment to study the thing and make sure it wasn't a threat. "Guys!" He said a little more forcefully and I quickly looked back at him only to find that he was pointing up at the sky.

Looking up as well we couldn't help but take in the sight as the stars started to zip around as if the whole sky had become a giant pinball machine until finally they arrived at their designation and stopped to wait for the others.

It only took about a minute for the picture to be completed and we realized what we were looking at.

"That's the _twins_ right?" Mikey asked quietly studying the two brightest stars in the constellation.

"Gemini." Donnie corrected "They're also called _Dioscuri_ in Roman mythology."

"What does that have ta do with anythin'?" Raph asked sourly obviously not getting the meaning behind this, which made two of us.

"There's a story about Dioscuri." Donnie continued still watching the sky as if he hadn't been interrupted. "They were _brothers_, Castor and Pollux. Pollux was a god but Castor was just a mortal man. During a battle Castor was mortally injured and his brother was given the chance to give him _half _of his immortality." He went on sadly and I turned to look at him as he finished. "He chose to _save_ his twin even though that meant he would no longer be a god."

Raph and Mikey looked down as well as that information set in then ever so slowly a smile started to appear on each of our faces and Mikey promptly said the one thing that was on all our minds.

"Now _that's _brotherhood."

…

"Interesting." Splinter stated considerably as he stroked his beard in thought. After taking another day to get home we had immediately told him about our adventure in the hopes of _understanding_ what it was we had seen.

"So what does it _mean_, Sensei?" I asked quietly perking up slightly in expectation of his answer.

"I can not honestly answer that for what you saw was meant _only_ for its receiver." He responded simply. "The Cave of Oracles is a mystic place only the most deserving have ever even _located_ it." He smiled brightly and we watched him as his words fell into place.

"Take heart." He continued again after a minute. "For the lessons learned there are powerful ones. They will help you find your destiny and _change the world_."

* * *

That was long


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Year 9 – Age 13

_(Mikey's POV)_

I don't think I've ever been so depressed to actually _pass _a test but it turned out that Elder Shichi wasn't kidding about the all-out attack force and now that I had mastered my nunchucks and therefore her _challenge_ she apparently thought it was fitting to bring in a whole _army _of goons for me to be crushed under.

"The rules are simple." She explained as I studied the section of abandoned city before me. "Reach the check-point, avoid contact with the enemy and gather information."

"What kind of information?" I asked.

But she only smiled before answering simply with the phrase "_Darna Shellah_!" which I knew was just her word for my _finder-power_ as she called it; which according to her meant 'the second-sight' in some other language. "You have until noon." She added and walked away without a care in the world

"But –" I started however by the time I had turned to face her she was already gone.

…

'Are these guys paranoid or is it just me?' I thought to myself as I ducked behind a wooden stand that proclaimed to have at one time sold '_boneless_ watermelons,'if I wasn't so busy hiding from a group of people that had randomly started searching every nook, cranny and shadow within sight I would have laughed in the face of such ridicules word-play.

Thankfully my pursuers were definitely _not_ ninja and I couldn't see any weapons either so either they were just carrying small, portable items or nothing at all. Storing this information away for future reference I quickly climbed a wall before they could round the corner and see me.

I was finding that ever since our camping trip; my brothers and I weren't nearly as stressed and except for the occasional squabble between Leo and Raph to make their world turn right the fighting was almost nonexistent. In fact there were some moments that we were so close to the same wavelength I could almost _swear_ I was hearing their thoughts.

We even found that our training with the elders was going better and after being distracted by the fact that we were _separated_ for the first two years we could actually function now and really _hear _what they were telling us. It may not have seemed like much to an outsider but the difference was like night and day to us.

I was even learning that I could control my _finder-power_ easier as I had started to _physically __see_ the connections between seemingly unrelated events and objects in order to track down and get what I wanted. (But that could have just been Shichi's training too.)

However it would seem that my little victory wasn't meant to last as I was suddenly pulled from my thoughts by the sound of a loud whistle from below and I quickly looked around to find that I'd been spotted as a whole herd of people were suddenly descending on my location.

"You gotta be kidding." I groaned before high-tailing it out of there however I didn't get very far before another group of people rounded a corner up ahead and I was forced to change tactics. "Oh come on." I complained and raced off in another direction.

This went on for several minutes until I promptly found myself surrounded by upwards of _100_ people. "This is so not fair." I told them sourly as I ran around another corner only to screech to a stop and change course before I collided head-first into another cluster of enemies.

A small part of my brain registered the bright red line on the road as I crossed it but the larger part of me just wanted to keep running. However it didn't take but a second for a shadow to suddenly descend on me for the action and I was promptly knocked unconscious.

…

'That was unpleasant.' I thought to myself as I woke up and struggled to become aware of my surroundings again before opening my eyes to see where I was. 'Well at least I'm not tied up.' I commented silently and looked around to find Shichi perched on an old car watching me with glowing cat-like eyes.

"Why did you do that?" I accused her grouchily.

"You left the designated training zone." She commented simply.

"I what – you never said anything about that." I complained however her only response was to raise an eyebrow at me in such a way that said 'I shouldn't _have _to tell you.' "That's not fair." I argued again. "Do you have any idea how many people are out there?"

"235." She declared as if talking of the weather and I just about had a heart-attack.

"What?" I demanded disbelievingly.

"Not enough?" She asked simply. "I could easily make it an even 300 if you feel the need to prove yourself, or maybe 4."

"No, no, no, no." I commanded immediately waving my hands around like an idiot. "That's okay, I'm good."

"Than let's try again shall we?" She proclaimed jumping from the car gracefully to stroll over to the red line before looking back to make sure I had followed.

"But Sensei." I stated as I walked up next to her. "I can't fight them all."

"You're not supposed to." She corrected. "Your goal was to remain undetected."

"But they spotted me right away." I complained.

"That's because they were _looking _for you." She explained as I watched her curiously for an explanation. "They know you're out there therefore they will already be searching for you."

"But –" I started.

"While it is always a good idea to remain undetected a day might come when your opponent will already be searching for you and your ability to avoid detection will be tested to its limit." She explained and I looked at the ground as I considered that. "At which time it will be your job to analyze the situation, find the best route and lead your team out of danger."

"I guess that makes sense." I admitted. "But a _designated training zone_, seriously?" I asked sourly.

"I admit that might be stretching it." She proclaimed. "But it will remain in place all the same. You need to train in small places so you won't be caught off guard later on."

I sighed loudly and turned to glare at the city. "Fine." I agreed and she smiled at me.

"You mission remains the same." She commented. "Gather information, reach the checkpoint and avoid enemy contact."

"And stay inside the zone." I added sourly as I turned my glare onto the red line.

"That too." Shichi admitted with a small laugh. "Any questions?"

"What _kind _of information?"

"Yeah." I said quickly. suddenly remembering one very important detail. "Where's the checkpoint?" She just smiled and gave me a look. "What?" I asked.

"Gather information." She commented simply and walked off again.

"What's that supposed to mea –" I started to ask before it hit me that I would need to _find_ that too. "Oh come on, now that's just _cruel_."

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

I never would have expected that talking to plants was such a long, _diplomatic _process?

Okay so I get that all flora _spoke_ through chemical smells and complex array of ultraviolet colors which Olcadan was slowly training me to understand as _words_. Admittedly once I got started it wasn't all that hard, in fact it was a lot like learning Japanese or any other language.

But for crying out loud did _every_ new species need a _different_ _language_? I understand that they had to distinguish themselves from other plants but this was getting _beyond _a little unreasonable.

On top of that some vegetation just wasn't all that talkative; roses for example were just plain 'stuck-up' in my opinion. So how was I supposed to '_get to know_'these plants, if they treated me like nothing more than a slightly annoying spec of dust?

It also wasn't entirely uncommon to accidentally say the wrong thing and have it be translated into 'shrub-speak' as a _declaration of war_.

Take a harmless looking foliage such as the morning glory which I learned the hard way could be down right _nasty_ when insulted and other such weeds even release deadly toxins if they were miffed.

I was once attacked by a herb for no other reason than it was having a particularly bad hair-day. 'Like it was _my _fault a caterpillar had eaten its head.'

I was suddenly starting to see _why_ Olcadan was so – _insane_.

…

"Oh shut up." I yelled into the forest like a crazy person as I exited and promptly threw a stone at the tree that was calling out every known insult under the sun.

"Any luck?" Olcadan asked from his seat on a log all the while aiming a knowing little smile in my direction.

"All I did was ask for some leaves." I defended crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance while the tree behind me continued its _verbal_ assault. "I don't know how you put up with them."

"Back in my day they didn't have the mutagen following through their systems. I've theorized that this may make them slightly more – _temperamental_." He advised.

"That's a _hell_ of an understatement." I grumbled. "Will you shut up already?" I demanded of the forest which only proved to encourage the other trees in the area to join in on the taunting.

"_AY-YAH_!" I screamed in frustration and promptly covered my ears. "I can't believe this, I'm _yelling_ at _foliage_." I grumbled under my breath before looking up a minute later to glare at the owl mutant as he started to laugh at my misfortune.

"Take comfort _kame_, for crazy people do not _know _they're crazy." He stated simply.

I just groaned and collapsed on the ground in heap. "I'm usually _not_ this easily _riled_." I mumbled mostly to myself.

"It does take some _practice_." He declared reassuringly as I heard him stand up and looked back to see him walking away. Immediately getting up to follow I couldn't help but groan as we walked around the corner of his house and I was presented with the promise of more torture.

I had told him about Raph's heart attack and explained the problem I had; had performing the chest compressions which caused Olcadan to start me on another form of training a little _earlier_ than he had originally intended.

This being the introduction to a 50 pound sack of beans with the goal being to carry the thing for as long as I could every day as he steadily made it heavier. This not only increased my over all strength but also prepared me for the possibility that I might one day need to _carry _one of my brothers which had been the _original_ point of this exercise.

Though I had been forced to start slowly as I was still too young to be a serious heavy-lifter it was going very well and it didn't take long before he started me on the more _advanced _course, which was basically the same thing as my _avoidance _lesson just with the added pressure of baggage – and _shuriken_.

I was still dogging the little wheels of pointed death hours later as I hauled my _fake_ brother through the forest when Olcadan finally spoke up again.

"So, Donatello." He suddenly stated as casually as if he were merely strolling to the store on a Sunday morning. "How is your medical training proceeding?"

"Good." I answered somewhat out of breath as I leapt over a fallen tree and avoided another fast moving kunai he had throw in my direction. "I finished studying last month and I start practicing with Jyu today and Jordon says if I keep up this pace he'll start me on surgery soon." I explained as I moved to navigate a random boulder in the middle of the forest. "Leatherhead even made this fake body for me to practice on. It's really cool."

I heard the old owl laugh to himself quietly and I used the slight distraction to gain a few inches on him. "Very well." He stated and I distinctively heard his _quizzing_ voice enter the conversation.

Naturally he encouraged my desire to broaden my medical knowledge in any way I could and part of his method of doing so was to _interrogate_ me on anything and everything, no matter how ridiculous or impractical it happened to be.

"Broken bones?" He started and I quickly retaliated with my answer.

"Set the bone and splint it then wrap for support until a cast can be made." I rambled off from memory. "If it's a broken leg or foot stay off it and keep it elevated, if it's a broken arm or hand keep it in a sling and use it as little as possible, a broken toe or finger; tape it to another toe or finger so it heals straight."

I took a moment to run through my mental list trying to see if I had forgotten anything. "Oh and _drink_ _milk_." I added. "The extra calcium will help it heal stronger and faster."

"Good." Olcadan proclaimed encouragingly. He hardly ever _corrected_ me anymore and if he did it was only to add something that I hadn't previously thought about. "Bruises." He quoted after a second and I snickered slightly.

"Check for broken bones if their aren't then _suck_-_it_-_up_." I proclaimed smartly and he laughed before continuing the verbal quiz with 'abrasions.' After which I promptly found myself spending the next hour and a half listing off everything I knew about injuries, ailments and how to heal or cure them.

When my little medical-grilling ended and I finally caught up with him again it was only to be suddenly faced with a rather large _cliff_. I carefully put down my bag and walked up to him as he sat on the edge and looked out over the ocean.

"So now what?" I asked noticing that the sun was still a few hours from setting; he usually didn't give up training until he absolutely _had_ to.

"There is but _one_ more technique I have to show you." He revealed and I looked at him curiously. "But it is not what you would call – _safe_. If it is done wrong it could very well end your life." I looked at the ocean again as I took that into account.

"I can not ask you to risk this for my own selfish needs." He continued. "But know that it could aid you drastically in both healing and fighting."

"I trust you." I stated and he smiled before looking at me.

"Still I must insist that you take the time to consider it." He proclaimed before reaching into the inner pocket of his robe to remove a little white cloth which he gently unwrapped and held out to me.

I instinctively backed a way from the little blue flower sitting casually in his palm and declared rather panicked. "Why do you have that?"

"What do you know of this flower?" He asked gently touching the petals and I nearly reached out to stop him.

"That's _Aconitum_." I stated seriously eyeing the plant nervously. "Better known as Mookshood or Wolf's Bane. It's one of the most _poisonous_ plants in Japan."

"Correct." He advised as he carefully picked one of its colorful little leaves.

"You shouldn't be _touching_ it." I advised getting to my knees as I tried to find away to get the plant out of his hand without coming into contact with the thing myself as the toxins could easily be absorbed through the skin and take only minutes to affect the heart.

"I'm aware." He declared examining the petal in his hand thoughtfully.

"Then what are you – _NO_!" I quickly tried to get it from him but I wasn't fast enough to stop him from _eating _the thing whole. "Sensei, _why_ did you do that?" I stated in a panic however my training soon kicked in and I immediately went into doctor-mode.

"I can make an antidote. I just need –" I started before quickly looking around for anything I could use to stop the poison, but I had so little time; death could occur within _two hours _of a _lethal_ dose and he had taken at least _twice_ that much.

"Donatello please calm yourself." He declared but I wasn't going to just '_calm_ _myself_' and quickly started into the forest again calling out to the plants around me looking for particular signals.

Less than a minute later I had located three potential candidates but unfortunately I wasn't given the means to put my plan into action before Olcadan was _attacking_ me.

"Sensei please." I begged dodging his cane as he swung it at my head and I side-stepped another attempt to knock me off balance all while still struggling to make the antidote.

But Olcadan was up words of 50 times better than me at this stuff, I couldn't even _hope_ to beat him at his own game and I _knew _that; which was how I found myself pinned to a tree about 5 seconds later.

"Olcadan!" I insisted in that _leader-voice _Leo always used trying to get through to him.

"Calm." He ordered right back and before I could stop him he had pinched a nerve in my neck and I went limp.

"Sensei, please." I begged trying to fight off the paralysis the way he had shown me but it remained pointless as he already knew everything I would have tired and countered me before I could accomplish my goal.

"Donatello." He commanded in a voice that made me stop everything and look at him. "It is alright." He assured me and sat down to place a hand on my shoulder in a comforting manor. "Please relax and _watch_."

I didn't _want _to _watch_, I was sure that any second now he was going to die and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. This was _not_ what I had trained so hard for I wanted to help not sit around being _useless_.

But as the seconds became minutes and the minutes wore on into nearly an hour I realized that _nothing_ was happening.

I watched him closely examining his every move as he continued to rub my shell supportively but still nothing transpired. I was starting to wonder if maybe I had been mistaken and the little blue flower _hadn't _been what I thought it was.

"That is not the case, Donatello." Olcadan suddenly said and I probably would have jumped had I had control of my motor functions. Even after all these years I kept forgetting that the elders had mind reading powers. "I assure you this is no trick, your account of the plant was accurate."

"But –" I started.

"I have been ingesting poisons and exposing myself to venoms since I was about your age." He explained. "By doing this I have built up a _tolerance_."

"But _how_?" It wasn't that I didn't believe that could happen as I knew from books that it was possible, but the participants would usually still show some _out-word_ signs of distress and that was only with very _small _doses.

"Talking with the plants before hand helps greatly." He admitted. "But I have also strengthened my body against the effects as well as the lining of my stomach." He explained. "This allows the toxins to remain _safely_ in my body until they are broken down and converted into their purist forms."

"You mean – _medicine_?" I asked truly amazed.

"Precisely." He proclaimed. "As ninja we are bound by what we can _carry_ on our person, but this way the chemicals are absorbed into my _body_ turning my own _blood_ into a _vaccine_." He stated and I couldn't help but look at him in wonder.

"This is what I wish to show you." He explained. "But as you can guess it is _extremely _dangerous. In my days I did not have someone to show me the ropes; I had to learn by trial and error and some of those _errors_ nearly cost me my life."

I swallowed nervously as he said this and forced myself to relax as he finally reached out to reactivate the pressure points in my body allowing me to sit up again and work some of the kinks from my shoulders.

"Consider carefully, Donatello." He proclaimed suddenly and I looked up again to find he had disappeared into the trees before I even realized he had moved.

…

{_**Never**_ eat or use plants or medicines that you do not understand. _**Ever**_!}

…

"What troubles you my son?" Splinter asked and I turned around to find him standing in the doorway of my room.

"I'm sorry Sensei, I didn't mean to disturb you." I stated quietly looking back at the floor.

Though we still spent about four nights out of the week sleeping in the basking room, my brothers and I had started spending more and more time in our _own_ rooms, as such my room was slowly becoming a place of comfort; an area that allowed me to think and consider my life.

Hard to believe considering that it was currently filled to the breach with a whole colony of rather _noisy_ inventions in progress.

"You could never intrude on my time, Donatello." My father assured me as he sat next to me on the bed. "What is the matter?"

"I –" I started but quickly shut up again. "I'm not quite sure." I finally admitted after a couple of minutes.

"Perhaps if you start at the beginning?" He suggested.

"I – don't know if I can." I told him miserably.

I personally tried to _never_ lie to my father and I hated keeping secrets but what would Splinter _do_ if he found out about Olcadan's offer.

"My son." Splinter requested and I looked up at him. "I would never ask you to talk about something that you feel is private."

"I know." I told him truthfully.

"However I can't help but feel like you are _struggling_." He continued. "And _talking_ often aids us in putting our problems into perspective."

I nodded in agreement of that as I looked back at the floor again, I really _did_ want to talk to someone but who do you talk to about something like this? Looking back at Splinter I decided that _my_ _father_ would and _should_ be a good place to start. "You're not going to like it." I told him quietly and he shifted slightly as if preparing himself for the worst before saying quietly.

"Tell me."

…

I couldn't tell him _everything_ as my training with Olcadan was bound by honor to stay between us, however I had been given permission to discuss the more _dangerous_ aspects with my family in the rare case that there was an emergency they would need to know everything they could.

Splinter listened calmly and quietly; asking questions only when I paused but never interrupted me outright which made it much easier to explain. So when I finally got around to telling him the real problem he seemed just as calm and collected as he had always been, but it was when he turned to look at the wall that I truly began to worry.

He remained quiet for another minute as he mulled it over then finally spoke up. "You have taken a lot onto your plate, my son." I admit I hadn't really expected that response but I would roll with it.

"Leo gets on my case about that all the time." I admitted.

He nodded but I couldn't tell if it was in agreement or just as a way to acknowledge what I had said. "If I may ask _one _question?" He requested looking back at me thoughtfully.

"Okay." I stated honestly not sure how to answer that.

"The endeavors you have undertaken, both in the past and in the possible future." He explained. "Do you do these things for _yourself _or for your _brothers_?"

I took a moment to think that through before answering to the best of my ability. "_Both_." I stated before going on. "Everything I learn is to keep my family alive and safe but –" I started again looking back at the floor. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want it for _me_ too."

"Can you explain?" He asked kindly.

"Honestly I think it comes down to – _fear_." I stated and looked over to see his reaction but as always there was none. "You know how Leo has that fear of _failure_?" I asked and he nodded. "Mikey tries to hide it but he's always afraid that he'll become a _burden_ and Raph has a fear of being _weak_; though he'll never admit it." He nodded again and I continued. "I think _my_ fear is – being _useless_." I finally admitted.

"I do everything I can to improve myself but it's not only to make life easier for everyone else, though that's a big part of it too." I added quickly. "I do it mostly because I – _want _to help them." I proclaimed looking back up at him after I had succeeded in actually confusing _myself_. "Does that make sense?"

"It does." He told me warmly.

"So what do I do?" I asked curiously.

"I'm afraid I can not tell you that." He admitted. "As your father it would have been my place to show you another path if you were doing this for anyone other than yourself. But that is not the case." He stated and I thought about that for a minute before he continued. "I believe that even though you are _confused_ this is something you _truly _want and as your father I have a responsibility to _never_ stand between you and your dreams."

"So I should – go for it?" I asked anyway and he smiled.

"It is not my place to say." He answered just as I thought he would. "You must follow your _heart_." He continued. "But – _please_ be careful?" He requested and I smiled brightly before reaching out to give him a hug letting myself snuggle into the warmth of his fur like I had when I was younger.

"I will."

…

_(Raph's POV)_

"Roku?" I called as I arrived at the big wood shed in the garden where the bear mutant lived. I would never understand how that tiny little place served such a _huge _guy.

"Aw, there ya are." A loud voice proclaimed and I turned just in time to locate Roku walking around the side of the house with two huge-ass sacks slung over his shoulders then before I could even react he threw one at me and I had to brace myself to take the sudden weight.

"Come on than, keep up." He ordered walking away causally while I struggled to lift the bag.

"What's _in_ this thing?" I asked through my teeth as I took a deep breath and focused on my strength before giving the sack another mighty heave and managed to lift it onto my back and quickly ran after him.

"Potatoes." Roku announced as I came up beside him.

"Where are we taking them?" I gritted struggling to keep my focus and not loose the control I had on my physical strength.

"That's a secret." He proclaimed

…

So how was yur camping trip, learn anythin' interestin'?" He asked about an hour later we navigated a little path up into the mountain and he reached out to steady me with one paw before I could fall over.

I was about to respond when my concentration wavered under the sudden sent of wood-smoke and I looked up to see a little shack nestled amongst the trees. Clearly Roku had noticed it as well as he promptly dropped the subject and strolled up to the place like he was king of the mountain.

"Hey grandma, ya there?" Roku yelled toward the house.

"Subtle as always I see." A voice replied and I looked around just as a little old lady emerged from the trees. "Aw, you must be Raphael." She said looking at me curiously.

"Yes ma'am." I answered respectfully nodding my head at her so I wouldn't fall over trying to bow.

"I see this slave-driver's already working you to the bone." She commented waving me toward the front of her house where she showed me where to put the bag of potatoes.

"Nah he's a tough lil' shit." Roku declared placing his own bag on top of mine with little effort and I glared at him as I proceeded to rub my shoulders in discomfort.

The old lady laughed slightly under her breath before speaking. "I guess he would have to be to put up with _you_." He commented causing Roku to smile at her and shrug like he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Raphael?" She said and I turned to listen. "Do you see that tenbin?" She asked randomly and pointed toward the long staff with a bucket attached to both ends.

"Yes." I answered.

"Bring it here please?" She requested and started to walk into the forest again while I went to retrieve the tool and hurried after her and Roku before I was left behind.

As we walked through the woods a couple of minutes later I noticed the presence of water getting closer and closer until we finally emerged from the trees to find a _huge _waterfall set into the side of the mountain.

"Cool." I commented taking in the awesomeness of the natural structure.

"Please stand under the falls." The lady asked me and I quickly made to place the tenbin on the ground.

"_With_ the buckets." Roku corrected and I looked at him in confusion, but he just folded his arms and motioned his head toward the waterfall urging me on. I got over my shock and swiftly made my way to the falling water where I located a large rock directly underneath it and moved to stand there.

Almost immediately the buckets filled with water with more pounding in every second and I was forced to struggle to right myself trying to balance out the weight.

"Stand your ground, Raphael." The old lady advised from the shore. "Focus on your balance."

I immediately tried to do so but as soon as I did the concentration I had been using to control my strength wavered and the left bucket pulled me down then before I could right myself again the weight tugged me off balance and I promptly slipped off the rock and into the river.

I instinctively swam parallel to the current and made my way back to the shore where I quickly laid the tenbin on the shore so it would stop pulling me down and lifted myself out of the water as well.

"Not so easy, is it?" Roku asked me and I looked around to find him watching the falls with interest.

"Roku had the very same problem when he was your age." The old lady proclaimed coming to stand next to me.

"I didn't think it would be that _hard_." I admitted rubbing my shoulders again.

"It takes practice." Roku stated. "That's why yur here."

"But what is this going to help me _do_ exactly?" I asked sure there was some kind of life lesson here. There always was when you were talking about the elders but I'll be damned if _I_ could see it.

"_Balance_." The old lady said and I looked at her again.

"But I already –" I started however Roku quickly interrupted me.

"Yes, yes Jyu taught ya all that balancing act stuff and mind over body mumbo jumbo." Roku stated waving my argument away like it was fly.

"Your needs are a little _different_, Raphael." The lady continued for him. "You have a great deal of _energy_ but you are unable to _channel_ it. As such you require a different _kind_ of balance; not only of the mind and body but of power and strength." She advised wisely.

"And this'll help?" I asked curiously and she smiled.

"If nothing else it will show us what areas you need to improve." She stated.

"So get yur shell back over there and start learnin'." Roku proclaimed dropping the tenbin on my shoulders again and swiftly shoved me in the direction of the waterfall. Catching myself before I could face plant I glared back at him and started over to my former position on the rock again.

My second attempt was no better than the first but I also didn't get a lot of time to adjust before Roku threw a stone at me and the resulting distraction sent me falling into the water again where I was nearly washed all the way down stream by the current.

When I surfaced again, struggling to pull the tenbin out with me I couldn't help but pick up on his booming laughter and I quickly turned to glare at him. "What was _that_ for?" I yelled getting to my feet to square off with him.

"Oh yeah, this'll be a lesson in _anger management_ too." He proclaimed as if he'd suddenly just remembered that little fact. "Did I fail ta mention that?" He asked coolly.

"Yes." I yelled now more than a little annoyed.

"My bad." He stated with a laugh before repeating himself with an annoyingly amused grin plastered all over his face. "This'll be a lesson in anger management _too_."

…

Near the end of the day I was struggling for every move as I hauled myself back out of the water and lay on my back breathing in precious air like it was candy.

I think I was actually getting _worse_ at this instead of better as my time on the rock had nearly been cut in half and my plastron was starting to hurt from all the little hits I had taken over the course of the day.

The old lady whose name I had learned was _Gen_ walked into my view and I leaned my head back to look at her upside down.

"That's enough for today." She advised and I couldn't help but groan at the unspoken promise of _more _of this torture.

"Yes, we wouldn' want him ta _drown_ himself." Roku laughed as he walked up as well and gently leaned down to lift me up onto his shoulder.

"Hey!" I argued at the treatment but there wasn't a lot of fire in it as I was far too exhausted to care about the idea of being carried around like luggage.

The bear mutant just knocked his fist against my shell and turned to bow at Gen. "We'll see ya again soon, master." He proclaimed before walking away and started back down the cliff toward the castle.

…

_Gen ~ Spring, origin or source._

…

"_Kame_." Roku's voice broke into my conscience and I opened my eyes, a bit surprised to realize I had fallen asleep.

"Huh?" I asked turning to see where we were and unconsciously moved around trying to get into a different position so I didn't look like a bag of rice he was carrying home, which seemed to cause him to just carefully lower me down and let me rest against his leg before pointing out over the cliff. "Look." He advised gently.

I had to work to pry my eyes open and see what he was pointing at but when I did I nearly stopped breathing.

Colors dominated the sky in a painting of blues, purples and pinks as clouds dotted the canvas with the last reflective rays of the sun contrasting violently in a magnificent show of reds, yellows and oranges and all the while Mount Fuji sat like some kind of portal to another world in the center of it all.

The white snow at its peak still glimmered and glowed in the slowly darkening world while the tree-scattered scenery around it lay under a think layer of fog that had roiled in from the ocean to blanket everything in its grasp.

"What say ya, _kame_?" Roku asked quietly placing a hand on my shoulder to steady me. "Was it _worth_ it?"

I thought about that for a minute; about the trip up the mountain that morning carrying a bag of potatoes that had to have weighed more than me then the strenuous activity that followed of trying to handle pails of water that never completely emptied resulting in my current condition of not even being able to _sit up_ on my own.

But this beauty was unimaginable; there couldn't possibly be any other like it.

"Yeah." I answered quietly and leaned back against his leg choosing to completely forget my pride and stubbornness in the face of such a peaceful place. "It was worth it."

…

_(Leo's POV)_

"Are you ready?" Ichi asked me when I found him waiting for me at the gate that morning. He had informed me the day before that we would be leaving the castle and going on a _long_ journey so I had been instructed to say goodbye to my family for even _he_ didn't know how long we would be gone.

"Yeah." I answered nervously and he smiled.

"Perhaps you should say one last goodbye." He responded motioning toward something behind me as he did so and I quickly turned to find my brothers running up to us.

"What are you guys doing here? You're supposed to be training." I informed them sternly. "You're gonna get in trouble."

"Tell that ta _him_." Raph answered folding his arms in a huff and turned to glare at Mikey who from the looks of it had dragged them both there himself.

"Mikey –" I stated strictly but he didn't let me finish.

"I know, I know, I know." He proclaimed waving away the almost lecture to promptly dismiss the argument and held out his hand toward me. Looking down I couldn't help but raise an eye-ridge at him when I found it was merely – a _penny_.

I was about to inquire as to the meaning behind the thing when he continued. "Find a penny, pick it up – something – something – something – good luck." He chanted happily earning a look from all three of us. "What?" He bellowed dryly. "So I want my big brother to have some luck on his side for his big trip, is that so wrong?"

I heard Ichi laugh lightly to himself behind me as I unfolded my arms to take in what Mikey was saying and smiled. "Thanks Mike." I told him genuinely and held out my hand for the coin which caused him to beam like the sun before dropping the thing into my palm.

"Great, now that we've all officially got a _million_ flips waitin' for us." Raph proclaimed sourly before reaching out to grab Mikey by his bandana tails and drag him away from the scene. "Let's go!" He finished sternly and I smiled painfully as Mikey waved his last goodbye.

"You sure you'll be okay?" I asked Donnie quietly as we watched them go.

"All we'll be doing is training and eating, Leo." He stated turning back around to give me a look. "We can handle that without you, really we can."

"That isn't what I meant." I informed him quietly to be honest I had compete faith in their ability to keep it together while I was gone however I was still worried about Donnie himself as he would have to deal with Raph and Mikey _alone_ the whole time.

He smiled once he realized what I was thinking about and answered smartly. "Oh, I'll be making that up to you when you get back, make no mistake."

My stomach did a nervous little flip on itself as that information set in. Mikey may have been the self-proclaimed prank master but it was usually only thanks to his ability to get Donnie to help him that any of his shenanigans even _worked_. However when Donatello himself had the desire no one was safe.

We looked back up when Ichi walked forward to place a hand on my shoulder. "It's time to go. It will take us most of the day to reach our destination."

"Alright." I answered simply before we all walked through the gate together and I looked back to wave at my brother as he ventured into the forest to reach Olcadan's house before turning around to follow Ichi again.

…

Turns out the tiger mutant hadn't been kidding when he said it would take all day to get there. Just ridding the tram for as far as it would go took hours but eventually we reached some abandoned city near the coast and disembarked.

The town was pretty much abandoned as it was mostly _flooded_ which left the growth of trees somewhat limited to water-variety plants and any that had taken root before the dam broke.

But it seemed that even _this _was not our destination as Ichi led the way quietly out of the town and up into the hills behind it which was where we set up camp for the night and I spent a few sleepless hours trying to riddle out where he was taking me before finally resting up for the next day.

A few hours into the next morning I took notice of the fact that it was getting _cold_ however nothing prepared me for when we rounded a mountain wall a couple minutes later to find the whole area was actually covered in _snow_.

"Are you alright?" He asked me gently as I pulled out the jacket I had brought with me.

"I'm fine." I informed him quickly and he nodded before starting to walk again and I alternated between wearing my jacket and taking it off so my shell could absorb the sunlight as we made our way through the mountains.

However keeping warm turned out to be the least of my worries as about an hour later I started to feel as though I was being _watched_.

But of course every time I turned to see what it was nothing revealed itself until one time I could have sworn I saw a really _big _shadow disappear behind a rock before I could get a good look at it.

"Sensei?" I said quietly continuing to stare at the place waiting for the creature to come out again.

"It is alright." Ichi told me gently not even stopping to turn around and I decided that the only thing I could do was take his word for it and continued to follow him through the storm. However it didn't take long before we came to a narrow canyon that made me nervous all over again as it was the perfect place for an ambush and it turned out I was _right_.

It was as if they had come in on the wind; one second we were alone and the next our way was blocked by not one; but two – _yetis_.

I immediately stopped in my tracks trying to keep my cool but Ichi regarded the creatures with an almost _friendly_ demeanor as he walked up to them and _bowed_.

"Please allow me passage to the sacred land?" He suddenly requested which caused the two yetis to smile at him and take a single step in opposite directions to let us by.

Ichi promptly thanked them and continued with his stride as I quickly ran to join him but before I could the creatures moved back over to block my way separating me from my Sensei.

"Hey!" I complained when one of them nearly stepped on me but I promptly shut up again when they drew their _swords_.

"None shall pass." One of them told me angrily and I quickly took a step back.

"But you let _him_ pass." I argued however they didn't seem interested in taking that into account.

"What is it that you seek?" The other one suddenly asked me.

"I – I don't know." I told them honestly looking toward Ichi for support but it was obvious that this was something I needed to figure out on my own. "I – I wish to _pass_." I answered suddenly as the pieces fell into place.

"Please, allow me to pass." I added with a respectful bow in their direction and heard them both snicker before putting away their swords again and stood aside just like they had done for Ichi.

"Thank you." I added as I calmly but quickly rose to my full height again and walked between them to rejoin my Sensei who smiled and nodded his approval.

"What did you learn, little one?" One of the yetis suddenly asked and I looked back at them to find they were clearly waiting for a response.

"Um –" I started trying to think of something a little more interesting to say than 'the importance of please and thank you.'

"_Force_ is not always required." The other suddenly answered for me and I looked at him as his brother continued. "The answer may come in _words _not _blows_."

I looked at them for another minute as I mulled over that information before turning to look at Ichi when he started walking away once more. However that little bit of a distraction was enough for the wind to suddenly pick up again and I looked back to find the mountain guardians had both vanished into the storm just as soundlessly as they had arrived.

…

I was nearly asleep on my feet as I continued to fight off hibernation and keep up with Ichi when I noticed that I wasn't really cold anymore which led me to look up for the first time in hours to find that we were now surrounded by lush green fields that even looked to be slowly becoming a _desert_.

"You seem surprised." Ichi stated with a little laugh.

"Where did –" I started to ask looking behind us for the snow mountain however there was nothing just more grass and hills.

"I did say this was the _sacred land_." He answered simply as I study one of many little piles of stones that had been meticulously placed along the side of the road. "You should expect many strange things here." He added and I nodded before falling into step with him again and watched as the land went by.

…

We ended up spending the night in the desert which was in itself nothing to worry about however nearly half way through the night I awoke to the most ungodly sound and looked up to find four creatures I could only describe as _ghosts_ floating down the path.

"Just ignore them, Leonardo." Ichi told me calmly as he sat with his back to a large rock holding his sword against his shoulder as he slept. "They mean us no harm just remain silent and they will continue on their way." He assured me and I turned back to watch as the specters went about drifting down the mountain until they were eventually out of sight.

"What are they?" I asked curiously as I sat up from where I had been sleeping.

"Demon ghosts." He answered as if talking of the weather. "Nothing to worry about."

All I could do was blink at him in response as to me that sounded like a _lot _to worry about, but I guess he knew more about this place than I did so I just quietly settled back down on my blanket and watched the stars until I finally fell asleep again.

…

The next morning I awoke to another strange sound and looked around to find my backpack surrounded by – _quail_.

"Hey!" I yelled and quickly chased them off but not before they had managed to eat the last of my chocolate. "Stupid birds." I swore at them as they continued to peck around at the ground as if I was nothing to be concerned about.

"Leonardo." Ichi suddenly said disapprovingly when I was about to herd them off again.

"What?" I asked turning to look at him as he rose to his feet.

"It is not their fault you overslept and let them eat your food." He proclaimed calmly. "Now leave them in peace and let us go." He ordered putting out the last embers of our fire and started down the trail again.

I quickly gave the birds one last evil glare and turned to run after him only to look back a minute later and find that the flock was _following _me. I gave Ichi a look when he laughed at my expense as the little birds started to get underfoot nearly tripping me a few times.

"It would seem they liked your chocolate." He advertised unnecessarily.

"Really, I hadn't noticed. _Ow!_" I answered sourly before one of the little pests pecked at my foot.

"I warned you." Ichi stated seriously. "You should have just been nice to them." He added obviously seeing no real reason to _help _me with my little problem.

"Okay, I'm _sorry_." I told the birds in a rush causing them to stop what they were doing and look up as if they could actually understand me. "It was my own fault; I shouldn't have blamed you. I was _wrong_." I added quickly more in shock of the fact that they had taken it so personally than anything else.

A few of them made a little chirping noise as if to accept the offering of peace before the little flock went on their way and I looked back around to find Ichi smiling at me again.

"What?" I asked on auto-pilot feeling a little stupid considering the circumstances.

"And what have we _learned_." He proclaimed calmly placing both hands on top of his staff to watch me sternly.

"I should take responsibility for my own shortcomings." I guessed and he raised an eye-ridge at me questionably.

"It is okay to be _wrong_." He corrected seriously. "Those who never _fail_ never _learn_."

I took that into consideration for a minute before looking back up to find he had started walking again without me and I quickly rushed to catch up again.

…

It was nearly the end of the next day when the trail under our feet changed to that of a well kept stone path but it was looking _up _that finally had me stopping in my tracks.

On top of the next mountain was what looked to be a sanctuary from an old movie; the kind built to house and train warrior monks.

"We are here." Ichi responded as we reached the mountain and he gently laid his hand on the rock face as if showing it respect for standing as long as it has. "Are you ready?"

Looking up I realized that there was no path to the top which meant we would have to climb. Turning back to my Sensei again I nodded simply and he smiled before started up on his own.

Half way up I realized that I was at a clear disadvantage as the wall was almost completely vertical with very little handholds and Ichi was naturally equipped with his _claws_ to make the climb easier.

"Come Leonardo." He called down after me. "You have completed much harder tasks."

"I know." I growled at the rock in front of me before daring to reach down to my belt and pulled out a few kunai which I was able to use to aid my ascent. Thankfully he didn't have any argument for this just so long as I made it to the top.

However as I finally got a closer look at the structure I couldn't help but feel like it _wasn't_ worth the climb as the building was clearly losing a battle with the plants that had breached its walls and one of its strong wooden doors even hung off its hinges leaving any enemy that reached the place to enter without a fight.

"Sensei." I finally said after a few minutes and he turned to look at me. "Is this it?"

He smiled before answering me simply "Yes, come and you will see why it was worth the journey." He added before walking through the gate and into the courtyard.

Upon entering the building I noticed wooden beams that should have been supporting the ceiling lying on the ground in ruins and found myself wondering if it was even safe to be inside the thing at all.

However I forgot my worries as we entered the main part of the edifice and my eyes were drawn to the _candles _that stood flickering in nearly every corner.

"Is there someone here?" I asked curiously.

"No." Ichi answered simply striding down into the stone garden without worry and I followed.

Looking around I started to notice a pattern as there wasn't just one entrance but _five_ and all of which featured one of the elements, earth, fire, wind, water and metal.

"So –" I started as I continued to follow him across the area. "What happens now?"

"Now we _rest_." He proclaimed as we entered the doorway which featured the _metal _symbol and opened onto a little sitting room with a fire pit. "Tomorrow we will begin." He added simply and I looked toward in curiosity.

"Begin what?" I had to ask and he turned to smile at me as he set down his pack.

"You are nearly 14, Leonardo." He stated as if I didn't already know that. "I'd say you're plenty old enough to find yourself a _weapon_."

…

Waking up the next morning I couldn't help but be kind of nervous. I had never been this far away from my brothers before but I kept telling myself it was a good chance to test our bond to see how _far _it really stretched.

Currently I could still feel them as I could tell that Mikey was somewhat ticked off about his newest training exercise, Donnie was running and Raph was cursing out a bag of – _potatoes_?

It never ceased to amaze me how the simplest of things could tick him off.

"Are you ready?" Ichi suddenly asked me and looked up from my meditation to find him standing in the doorway of the little room I was using for privacy.

"Yeah." I answered quickly getting to my feet and followed him back into the garden room again.

"Tell me have you given any thought as to your weapon of choice?" He asked as we walked through the _earth _doorway this time which went a lot further than the other one had yet it was hard to tell exactly how far as we remained underground the whole way.

"The _katana_." I proclaimed boldly almost shocking myself with how fast I had said it.

Ichi seemed relatively surprised as well but got over it quickly and grinned. "It would seem we have a likeness of thought, Leonardo." He responded and I couldn't stop myself from smiling too.

I was well aware that you didn't choose your weapon as it in fact chose you, so for Ichi to _agree _with me was something I found immense pride in as he himself was well renowned as a katana _master_.

I looked back around and squinted when we finally exited the other side of the cave and took in the area with aw as it was clearly a mineral _goldmine_.

I knew merely by looking around the place that just about any kind of metal or stone I could imagine would be found here.

"I do not think I have to explain what this room is for." Ichi proclaimed leaning heavily on his staff as he looked around as well.

"To forge steel." I guessed and he smiled with a nod.

"If the katana is truly the weapon you see yourself welding than you will have no need of my help from this point on." He stated simply and I nodded in understand before turning back to take in the area again until I spotted what I was looking for and rushed over to a pile of what looked to be coal dust.

However as I sifted my hands through it I could feel, as well as _smell_,that it was actually iron ore in its purest form; _sand_. As I looked around for the other main ingredient I would need I realized that it was _missing_ from the collections of materials but after thinking about it for a minute I realized I knew where I could find it and quickly rushed back into the cave and out the other side before turning in a circle for a second until I located the room I would need; _fire_.

Ichi followed calmly behind me doing nothing but watching my progress as I strolled into the room and looked around at the clay iron-furnace as well as several other by-fire tools of the trade that I would need in the future until I located several large bins of black rocks and moved to examine them.

Unfortunately the first of the bins were filled with charcoal which wouldn't do me any good but the second was _carbon_ and as I examined the coal critically I was glad to announce that it was of the highest grade, which was good for I would accept nothing less.

…

It took a long time to get the fire in the furnace just right but it was worth it when I finally started to add the iron sand and watched it carefully as it shifted to the bottom to mix with the carbon.

If I added too little the finished blade would be soft, too much and it would be brittle so I had to be precise in the amount of each substance I used but at the same time continually mind the fire so it wouldn't get too cold which is how I found myself denying sleep and even food for the next _three days_ as I waited for the precious metal to form.

On the third day I watched the crucible of fire like a hawk refusing to leave the core inside unattended for even a moment. It all came down to _crucial_ timing these last few minutes would be what would make or _break _my sword; I had to be sure.

_Listening_ to the fire was sometimes all I could do as the metal was clearly unreachable so when I finally started to hear the sound I wanted I smiled and rose to get a hammer from the wall which I started throwing into the sides of the clay furnace effectively smashing it to pieces so I could quench the fire within and remove the iron.

It took nearly an hour to retrieve my finished work but as soon as I was able to lay my hand on the hunk of black metal I knew I had achieved _Tamahagane_, the steel used in _all_ katana blades.

Or at least the ones worthy of mention.

…

Breaking the clump of metal apart I was finally able to find what I needed for my weapon and weighed each piece critically as I looked for a heavier metal with a bright silver color.

When I had finally chosen the steel chips I wanted I covered the mound with a sheet of paper and a layer of clay and ash to prevent oxidation before plunging it into the heart of a new kind of fire.

…

I had been studying these swords for years and knew the process could take _months _to complete but I gave the folding of the metal my full attention day after day, week after week until I was finally satisfied that I had beaten out any impurities. It was only then that I finally set it aside and focused on another block of metal; this one _iron_.

A sword forged only from hard steel would be sharp but would also easily break. The catch-twenty-two was that the softer iron wouldn't break but could not hold an edge. To remedy this I had to forge the lower carbon iron directly into the _heart_ of the blade to make it flexible and then wrap the carbon-rich _steel_ around it to create its cutting edge.

Together they'd make a sword that would be both strong and deathly sharp.

…

I didn't see a lot of my Sensei as I worked but something tells me this was as much a _vacation _for him as it was a _learning _experience for me so I didn't complain.

However the day finally came when my project actually _looked _like the blade I always _felt_ it was which signaled the moment that the next procedure was to be undertaken.

So using a small hammer I gently maneuvered the blade into the right form. Though the katana was of relatively standard size the length did depend on the welder so holding it out in front of me I wanted it to just barely touch the ground which would be a helpful feature in the future as I was still excepted to _grow_ a little taller, this would leave my blade a shorter more _compact _size, which was a must-have for a ninja who had to be stealthy and lightweight.

When I finally had the proportions I wanted I proceeded to do a rough filing to determine the frame which too was a delicate procedure as it didn't yet posses its _curve_ and I had to do a lot of guessing and visualizing to take it into account.

But it wasn't long before I was finally satisfied and set to work creating a special mixture of wet clay and charcoal that I then started to pain-stacking _paint_ over the length of the sword.

This would protect it during the next process and the area of thicker clay would also force the metal to cool slower thus creating the curve, but there was also a certain level of _art _to it as well for when it was finished this would become the tempered line know as the _hamon_; the wave-like design seen on the blade's surface.

This was fundamental in creating the image I wanted to show the outside world, so I had to do the sword justice as it would also pay homage to my own creativity.

It took a lot of time and precise brush strokes but finally I was pleased with the outcome and so I returned to the forging room which I _darkened_ so I could make out the exact color of the fire.

This way I would know when I had reached the correct temperature for if it was too hot the steel would crack but too cold and the hardening process would fail so I needed all the help I could get.

Studying the metal carefully I remained at the ready to pull it from the fire at a moments notice but it took some time to finally get the steel to glow with the exact red of the rising sun, prompting me to quickly remove it from the furnace and quench it in the water I had pulled straight from the stream in the water room.

Giving it ample time to cool and finish the process I finally pulled the blade out of the water and marveled at the iconic _curve_ that now decorated my sword. Finally it was done; my katana had received its _soul_.

…

After a short rest I took another week to polish and sharpen it; however I _purposely_ avoided _shining_ the finish. A _samurai_ sword was no doubt one of beauty and power but a _ninja's_ was one of silence and precision. By leaving the steel dull I reduced the chance that it would reflect light and give away my position.

"Very impressive." Ichi stated as he studied the blade when I was finally finished. "It is truly one of a kind." He said this in an almost _sad _tone of voice but when I questioned him about it he just shock his head and dropped the subject.

"It would seem you have but _one _more addition to make." He commented as he gave the sword back and I nodded in agreement as he got up to retrieve something from his room.

While I waited I carefully rewrapped the blade in its protective cloth, though I was in no way concerned that the sword would be damaged the edge was still sharp enough to take my hand off without me even noticing; so I needed to be careful.

A minute later Ichi returned and I looked up as he held out his gift; the _hilt_.

I could smell mahogany as its main structure and marveled at the golden decorations as well as the hidden blade I eventually located within. The silk of its wrap was colored appropriate in a deep royal _blue_ however there was no hand-guard but I had expected that, as I wanted to keep my blade streamline and thin and a guard would have taken away from that purpose.

Of course this also allowed me to see another feature of the hilt more clearly and I smiled as I asked a question I already knew the answer to.

"Is that my _penny_?" Looking a little closer I could tell for sure that the object set into the middle of the _habaki_; (the collar that prevented the blade from slipping from its scabbard,) was indeed the coin Mikey had given me before I left.

"Maybe." Ichi answered with a smirk and couldn't help but laugh. "I assure you it will fit." He added as I held it up to the back of my sword for a measurement before quietly looking at him again as that information set. I had noticed a few times after returning to my sword in the morning that it had been _moved _ever so slightly. It would seem _someone_ thought himself sneaky.

"Thank you Sensei." I stated with a bow which he returned before helping me hold the hilt in place as I carefully set the pegs so I could finally take in the majesty of the finished blade held for the first time the way it was always intended.

…

I never anticipated I'd be gone for _five months_ so my brothers were probably all kinds of ticked off at me by now but it seemed they would have to wait another day because Ichi revealed that I was to be given one final test before we left, which was how I found myself face to face with something kind of magical living-rock creature from another dimension.

The goal was simple, defeat the opponent.

I was also allowed to use anything I deemed fit to do the job including my sword if I so desired; which I would by lying if I said I hadn't been itching to try. So when Ichi called the match I was ready with my katana.

The weight of the blade was like something made of smoke and its physical presence in my hands was soothing and natural as it seemed to almost _flow_ like a wave with the motion of my arms. Like it was an extension of my soul and with it I was finally _complete_.

I was aware that Ichi was watching me closely as I ducked and weaved around the creature that was clearly trying to use his _size _to his advantage, but unfortunately for him I was _used _to fighting people bigger than me.

Being forced to fight from a young age taught me how to move flawlessly with a larger opponent, so it wasn't long at all before I'd managed to duck under his legs, jump onto his back and plunge my sword through the rock-like armor to finish my test.

I carefully jumped back to the ground and circled around to look at the thing and bowed respectfully causing him to do the same before falling apart into a pile of rocks.

"Well that was easy." I bragged as I walked back up to Ichi carefully holding my sword so I wouldn't cut myself. I had intended to carve a sheath on the way home to help pass the time I would usually spend walking in silence.

"Sensei?" I asked when he didn't respond but he quietly came out of his little trance when I spoke. "Is something wrong?"

"No." He answered with a little smile. "I have just never seen a more _natural _talent."

…

We headed home the next morning and admittedly I was sad to watch the old building disappear back behind the mountains again but I knew I had to get back. However Ichi was very quiet as we walked and it was obvious that he had something on this mind but he continued to tell me that I shouldn't worry so I didn't.

We met up with the flock of quail again as well as the demon ghosts but this time they didn't seem all that intimidating or even annoying. In fact I rather enjoyed it when the little birds followed us for several miles like our own personal convoy and they just had a way of making me smile when they roiled around in the dirt to clean their fathers.

When we finally got to the snowy mountain top again I couldn't help but look around for the two yetis. I kind of wanted to apologize for being such a jerk before but they never showed up and as we left the mountain behind I turned to bow respectfully toward it knowing that they were watching me.

I found myself getting more and more jumpy as we finally boarded the tram again and I watched the landscape slowly became familiar once more until finally the top of the castle reappeared over the treetops.

It was late enough that my brothers would be home and I really wanted to see my father again and apparently Ichi understood this as he told me to go on ahead once we finally exited the train and I promptly thanked him with a bow before making my way though the familiar forest toward home.

I didn't even get my first words out after opening the door before I was plowed over by the green and orange blur of Michelangelo.

"_Nisan_!" He proclaimed loudly and I laughed as I carefully pulled my arms free so I could give him a proper hug. "We missed you so much, even Raph but you know he'll never admit it."

"Hey!" Said turtle complained as he and Donnie arrived as well.

"_Five_ _months_, really?" Donnie declared sourly but I could tell by his little smirk that he was just teasing. "We should be charging you _rent_." He added before I captured him into an awkward hug and gave him a noogie.

I finally released him after a minute and looked at Raph who was glaring at me like I had kicked his puppy or something. "Sorry." I quietly told him and his stance relaxed a little from the shock. "I didn't think I would be gone so long, but it turns out I _really _needed it."

He seemed to consider that as he took in my peaceful words and calmer demeanor before finally smiling. "Yeah, ya did." He finally agreed and I smiled back before holding out my hand in a gesture of peace.

"So we're good?" I added with a cringe but he just laughed and threw his hand into mine as he reached out to pat me on the back.

"Yeah, we're good."

"My son." A new voice said quietly and I looked up to find Splinter standing with us as well and I quickly released my brother to bow respectfully toward him, however it didn't last long before he had suddenly reached out to hug me.

"I've missed you, Leonardo." He told me as I hugged him back.

"I've missed you too, father."

"Ichi-san." Donnie said at that time and I turned to find my brothers bowing respectfully toward my Sensei as he entered the house and he smiled warmly at them and bowed back before looking toward Splinter and they bowed again to each other.

"We should talk." He said gently and Splinter nodded before leading the way into his room.

I had been aware that Splinter would have to hold onto my sword until I was allowed to carry it myself but I really hadn't expected his _reaction _to it.

"Interesting." He proclaimed simply as he studied the blade. "Have you seen what I have Ichi-san?" He added.

"I have." He answered simply and I turned my gaze between the two elders curiously hoping for an explanation as to _why_ it was so interesting. But they only silently exchanged the answer between themselves.

"What?" I finally asked but they just smiled in return.

I was really starting to see what Mikey meant about the elders being _vague_.

* * *

In case you didn't catch it; Leo's part was based almost entirely on the 2003 episode

'The Ancient One.'


	10. Chapter 9

Wow age 14, how fast little turtles grow up and become teenagers.

* * *

Chapter 9:

Year 10 –Age 14

_(Mikey's POV)_

"Yikes!" I proclaimed reaching out to grab onto the remains of a wall before I went sliding right off the top of the building. "And I thought this was hard _before_." I commented to no one in particular as I pulled myself back to solid ground and looked around at the white, frozen wasteland that had once been my training zone.

Our education had been postponed the last few days on account of a storm coming in only for us to wake up that morning to find a good foot or more of snow on every inch of ground we could see.

This wasn't the first big storm we had witnessed since coming to Japan and it probably wouldn't be the last; however it was the first time we had; had to _train _in it.

Normally the elders timed it right and took us inside when it got too cold, but of course there was also the possibility that they did it because we hadn't yet mastered Kale's art of storing heat to avoid hibernation. _Unfortunately_ we were pretty good at it now so they obviously thought nothing of making us trudge through five feet of snow to train.

Looking around to see if there were any 'enemies' in the area I decided to take a minute to rub the cold out of my hands and gather a little warmth from the sun that was attempting to peek through the clouds; which was when I nearly jumped out of my shell as the sound of wood falling alerted me to the fact that someone was inside the building I was standing on.

However as I was about to bolt for another location I realized that the sounds had _stopped_.

There had been a few times in the past that some of the people who had been tasked with hunting me down had accidentally caused one of the dilapidated buildings to break even more and a couple times where they had even gotten _stuck_ in the aftermath.

Training forgotten; I quickly rushed over to the doorway that lead from the roof to the inner structure only to realize that it was a wonder the building was even standing at all. It was literally just skin and bones, nothing but old rotting wood and a stone outer covering.

"Are you okay?" I called into the building hoping to receive an answer. I really didn't want to give up my training run for someone who didn't even need my help as I was actually doing pretty good so far, but their safety was far more important than my good grades.

"Hey?" I said again when no one responded but when there was still no answer I quickly started out onto a beam hoping to see where they were. Making sure not to put too much weight on anything that couldn't hold me; I was able to carefully make my way to the ground without causing anymore damage.

It only took a minute to locate the out-of-place pile of snow and broken beams that had obviously just broken away from the ceiling and I quickly started digging through the debris trying to find whoever was stuck underneath.

However it didn't take long before I had cleared away the whole pile only to realize that there was – _no_ _one_ there, which meant that it must have fallen all on its own under the weight of the new snow.

"Great!" I grumbled sourly as I dusted myself off and spoke a few choice woods toward the pile for throwing off my timing and concentration, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy that no one was hurt and in the end that was all that really mattered.

However as I started to make my way back to the roof that little fact didn't _remain_ true as I screamed like a little girl when I had pulled myself up onto a beam only to come face to face with – _a_ _face_.

Unfortunately the force of my slight panic attack caused the beam under my hand to break away as well and I wasn't able to get to another before it collapsed altogether taking me with it.

I instinctively pulled into myself slightly to protect my head and let my shell take the hit which left me sitting pretty under an 8 foot pile of snow and logs. When the collapse was finally over I quickly started digging myself out and dusted myself off _again_ before looking up into the rafters to find the little face was still looking at me.

"Hello." I said mostly to myself making my way back up to the area where I discovered a little orange creature that was obviously cold, wet and miserable. "Hey there." I said kindly reaching out to pet the little kitten gently.

It promptly nudged against my gloved hand obviously looking for some form of comfort and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor thing. It looked like the storm had snuck up on the little guy and on top of that his eyes were still _blue_; he couldn't have been old enough to be without his mother yet.

"It's okay." I told him gently and reached out to pick him up and cuddle the little creature to my chest hoping to share my warmth. It didn't take long before I had the little guy purring happily even though his fur was still wet from the snow.

"Meow!" The little dude proclaimed as he pushed his head above the collar of my jacket and I smiled before taking immediate notice of the fact that his ears and eyes were now _focused_ on an empty window where one of my '_enemies'_ was currently sneaking around obviously looking for me.

I quickly dodged into the shadow of the wall on his right; soundlessly hiding from view just before the man peeked inside and took a look around the mostly collapsed room.

Turtle luck and the fact that he was supposed to be overly curious had the man stepping over the sill a second later and into the building, but thankfully he seemed to be too interested in the pile of snow I had just disentangled myself from to notice me _leaving_ by the same means.

Ducking behind a piece of wall so another person on the other side of the street didn't see me I then took off for the rooftops again via some creative shadow hopping.

"That was close." I told my new companion truthfully to which he promptly mewed in agreement as I carefully unfolded the piece of paper I had managed to slip from my pursuer's pocket. "Huh!" I informed the page as I flipped it around trying to figure out which side was up before deciding where the image went in my map.

I was starting to think Shichi was trying to turn me into a pick-pocket; as I had already been forced to lift over 20 pieces of the same map, but unfortunately most of them had been _duplicates_; leaving me with a collection of only _four _usable images.

I still wasn't sure how I was supposed to pin-point the people with the correct pieces but I was happy to find that the one I had just obtained was _different_ and quickly moved to pull the others pieces I had stolen out of my pocket and started working to fit them together; like some kind of crazy scavenger-hunt jigsaw puzzle.

"Meow!" The kitten informed me as I looked at the newest page from an angle; trying to figure out which part of the city it was displaying.

"I agree." I told him absentmindedly before finally placing it in the top right corner of the puzzle. "That _is _interesting." I added quietly studying an area of the picture that was clearly depicting the _exit_, or at least _half _of it, which was what I needed to find.

I didn't know how many more pieces of the map there were but if I could figure this out without having to hunt down the rest I might finally be able to finish my task and go home where it was warm.

Which would quite frankly make me a very happy turtle.

…

I hummed in thought as I studied the place where the map had led me; which looked to be the entrance to an underground parking lot and a quick peek around the nearby area informed me that there had to be _something_ inside as it was very well guarded.

Though whether it was the exit to the training zone or not remained to be seen; but they had to be protecting _something_ and that was good enough for me. However looking a little closer I found that it would be _extremely _hard to get there without being spotted as not only was it right out in the open but it was basically surrounded.

"Well you know what Master Splinter always says." I whispered sternly. "'The ninja's most powerful weapon is a good _distraction'_." I proclaimed in imitation of my father's voice; earning a little meow from my new friend. "Yeah I know, but apparently ninjas have _a lot _of 'most powerful weapons'." I told him distractedly as I turned to look at my destination again before slowly taking in the area around me.

However as my eyes fell on a building to my left I couldn't help but smile as it appeared to be the prefect disturbance and quickly got up to make my way to the outer wall, or what was _left _of it.

The thing was like something out of a war movie; I could still see panes of glass in the windows near the top but as my eyes traveled down it become more and more eroded until there was literally nothing but wooden beams showing at the bottom.

It would have been really cool if it wasn't so dangerous; heck it looked like it would take no more than the touch of a leaf on the wind to knock the whole thing on its head, but I took my chances and carefully made my way into the skeleton of the old apartment building; looking for a good way to topple it, knowing that if it fell people would come from all over to see if anyone was inside.

It was kind of a rotten trick considering what had happened earlier; but no one would get hurt and I would be able to get through the entrance without being noticed.

After checking to make sure no one was stupid enough to actually be hanging out inside I quickly decided on a single support beam that should accomplish my goal, then checking to insure the kitten was safely in my jacket I took a stance before leaping into the air to kick out at the beam with all my strength; promptly breaking it in half.

The cracking and collapsing started immediately and I high-tailed it back outside and across the street as it joined the other casualties of time scattered around it. Within seconds people were descending on the war ground and I smiled before bolting for the underground tunnel.

Once inside I quickly ducked into some shadows and circled the wall trying to see what was in here, but looking through all the concert pillars all I found were a few cars that had avoided the weather.

I continued to move along the wall silently wondering if maybe there was another exit but still nothing revealed itself; that is until I rounded a corner and came face to face with a group of 20-something _enemies_.

I gave them a sheepish little smile and waved before booking it back the way I came; but unfortunately the others were filing back in at that very moment and I found myself trapped.

"That's enough." Shichi's voice rang out as they all descended on me and I looked up to find her waltzing through the crowd to stand with me.

"Hi!" I told her painfully and she raised an eyebrow at me before replying.

"Why would you come here, _kame_?"

"It was on the map." I proclaimed immediately only for her to reach out for said object and I quickly pulled out all the pieces I had found to hand them to her.

"Where?" She asked looking at the thing questionably and I deflated.

"Well I _thought _it was." I said sourly turning to glare at a wall as I did so.

"You didn't complete it." She told me unnecessarily.

"How am I supposed to get all the pieces when there are 560 different _look-alikes _marching around out there?"

"The map is not what's important, Michelangelo." She told me sternly. "Only what you _get_ from it, but your information was _incomplete_ so you wound up at a _dead end_."

I was starting to wish that I could just melt into a puddle and live in the floor for the rest of eternity.

"So what have we learned today?" She continued as I sulked.

"Find _all_ information before acting?" I guessed and she nodded.

"It is alright." She told me reassuringly. "You are here to _learn_." She added before reaching out to scratch the little cat behind his ears. "Now who is this?"

"I found him in a building," I started quickly in a panic; determined to defend my actions. "He was so small and cold and – I couldn't just leave him there. He –"

"Michelangelo." She quickly ordered with a little laugh. "Look at me." She commanded motioning particularly toward her _tail_. "There is no reason for you to defend your actions; I actually have quite the soft spot for _cats_."

"Oh." I stated simply as I honestly hadn't even thought of that before, but considering the woman was technically a cat herself I really shouldn't have been surprised.

"If you wish to _keep_ him I shall have no quarrels." She added with a smile. "I merely asked what his _name _was."

"Ummm." I muttered thinking that over as I looked down at the little orange kitten in my coat. "How 'bout – _Klunk_? I've always wanted a cat named Klunk." I declared happily earning a strange look from my Sensei. "What?"

"Oh nothing." She said with a laugh. "You are without a doubt the most – _interesting _person I have ever met." She added and I promptly frowned in concentration; trying to figure out if that was a complement or an insult. "Shall we continue with your training then?" She suddenly asked and I promptly pouted.

"But what about –" I started to ask looking down at the newest addition to my family.

"It would seem that you do much better when you carry something you wish to _protect_." She added before I could finish.

"But I don't want him to get hurt." He argued quickly causing her to smile again.

"Nor do I, but I seriously doubt you would let that happen." She proclaimed and I promptly opened my mouth to retort before realizing that she might just have a point there and closed it again.

"Let's try it once more and see how you do." She stated thoughtfully. "If it turns out to be too dangerous then I shall look after him _myself_."

"Okay." I reluctantly agreed before carefully zipping Klunk into my coat again; allowing his little head to stick out the top which prompted Shichi to laugh at the sight before motioning for me to start the training run again.

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

"Drink!" Olcadan ordered holding out a gourd of water that smelled profusely of drugs and I quickly made to follow his command but found I couldn't keep my stomach in check long enough and promptly threw it up again.

Thankfully he was patient with me and waited until I had finished my business before helping me take a few slow sips of the medicated water.

"Are you alright?" He asked gently rubbing my shell to help guide my chi toward heath again.

"It – _hurts_." I told him after a few minutes of recuperation.

"Where?" He instantly asked and I put my hand over a spot on my lower right side causing him to nod before getting up to get something from his kit and returned with a really fowl smelling substance that I was sure I'd be able to identify had I not been so focused on breathing at the moment.

He held the vile under my nose for half a second and the pain flared to the point of near blindness before disappearing altogether a second later.

"Ow." I stated simply before curling into the fetal position.

"Take it slow; allow yourself to adjust." He instructed meticulously checking my pulse. "There is no need to rush, you are doing fine." He proclaimed absentmindedly while I made a weak attempt to control the spasms in my muscles.

After what felt like forever I was finally able to sit up again without feeling like my stomach was about to burst into butterflies and Olcadan gently helped me over to a seat.

Part of the agreement for letting me continue with this training was that I was never allowed to _lie _about my condition so he trusted me whole heartedly when told him that I was okay a minute later.

"Let's take a break." He insisted and I didn't complain; yet another law he had laid down before this venture had even begun; never _argue_.

He kept a close eye on me as I leaned back against the wall and focused on keeping myself calm and relaxed like he had taught me to, as apparently it helped my body to process and break down the poison faster and smoother.

After nearly a year of this training I had already seen a distinct decrease in out-ward side effects to which I was in no way complaining. Rashes, hives and bleeding were _not_ something I liked explaining to my family at the end of the day.

But while it was hard to tell if my _stomach _was building up a tolerance I had noticed that it didn't take as long to recover from the effects of new poisons and old toxins were followed by nearly _no _reaction at all anymore.

Venoms too were quickly becoming a thing of the past as spiders, bugs and scorpions had little effect on me anymore and I was slowly working my way up the ladder to my last challenge; _snakes_.

All I could say was 'it's a good thing Raph and Leo weren't here.'

Leo hated snakes and Raph hated bugs; together the two of them would have single handedly caused Armageddon had they known their little brother was being exposed to the dangers of _both_.

"Drink!" Olcadan ordered again and I opened my eyes to see him holding out another little gourd which I took from him slowly and downed before immediately regretting the action.

He actually held his hand over my mouth as my body tried to regurgitate the foul liquid and I instinctively tried to free up the blockage but he only held on tighter.

"Swallow!" He insisted as I still attempted to fight him. "Swallow!"

Finally I was able to force myself to consume the vulgar substance when I realized I couldn't breathe otherwise; but as it went down I swear it had the same texture as wet cardboard and a taste that made Mike's homemade mustard and pizza-milkshake look like a gourmet delicacy.

"Easy!" Olcadan proclaimed rubbing my back gently as I worked to control my gag reflex. Boy was I really getting _sick_ of being _sick_.

"What – was that?" I asked between breaths several minutes later.

"A medicine I designed to stop the spread of poisons in the body." He explained and I looked at him skeptically.

"What would possess you to create such a revolting substance?" I had to ask but he didn't appear offended and explained.

"I was not _taught_ here at the complex, I was trained in Ninjutsu by my father; who believe it or not was actually a world renowned _thief_."

I blinked at that in slight shock. "Really?"

"Yes." Olcadan continued. "But he died when I was still very young and I was forced to wander Japan alone and unsure until I found this place." He stated looking into the forest nearby thoughtfully. "Without any questions or knowledge of my background the people here took me into their home and allowed me to stay for as long as I liked."

"I guess you never left huh?" I asked with a grin and wiped my eyes slightly as they started to water and cloud my vision.

"No." He answered with a smile. "It was during those early years that I became exposed to the Hamato's rival clan; The _Foot_." He stated and I couldn't help squirming a little at the thought of Shredder and his army. "They were _experts_ on poisons and chemicals and would attack and kill people in a myriad of _horrible_ ways."

"It was this that inspired me to become a healer." He revealed before holding up the urn with the repugnant fluid again. "And _this_ was what drove me." He added. "It was actually the first medicine I ever created."

"But I needed a way to test and improve on it; to discover the effects of poisons and venoms and find what would be needed to cure them." He continued a second later. "However I _refused_ to test it on others so the only logical compromise was to experiment on _myself_."

"So you started ingesting poisons." I finished finally seeing where he was going with this. "As a way to test the potency of the antidote."

"Yes." He answered with a nod. "Believe me I know all too well that it isn't _pleasant_, but it instantly halted the spread of toxins in a body; whether they be from ingestion, injection or exposure."

"And you never thought to try and make it taste like – I don't know – _chocolate_?" I asked absent-mindedly as I tried to rub the taste off my tongue, but it was at that point that I noticed the effects of the poison I had just eaten were indeed virtually _nonexistent_.

"This is why I didn't introduce it into your training before now." Olcadan explained and I looked back at him in total relief of that particular horror. "One of its treatment properties is to cause _regurgitation_ as a means to extract the toxins from the victim's stomach."

"Right," I stated as the pieces clicked into place. "Wouldn't do me a lot good to purposely _eat_ _it_ if I was just going to throw it back up."

I'd already been privy to the joys of having to re-eat flowers and plants that I had not been able to keep down. "Not that it really matters sometimes." I added looking at the area that currently reeked of sick; already knowing that a similar experience awaited me in the near future.

"We'll wait." He stated and I looked back at him kind of shocked.

"Not that I'm complaining but I feel okay now." I declared in a totally _non_-arguing way. "Shouldn't we try again before my immunity kicks back in?"

"Normally I would say yes." He proclaimed causally as he placed the gourd back near his medical kit. "But the drink will continue to fight off any impurities injected into your system for several hours." He explained.

"That's cool." I stated impressed before I thought of something else. "Did you ever try to make something that would last longer? Like say – _forever_?" I asked curiously and he smiled warmly at the ground before answering.

"As a matter of fact I _have_." He proclaimed. "It was this search that allowed me to improve the lifetime of the drink to as long as I have. But even after years of research and struggle this is all I have been able to accomplish."

"Oh." I pouted and looked back at the ground as well. "But there's _got_ to be a way." I muttered absentmindedly placing my finger tips together in a circle; a habit I was picking up when I needed to think something over.

After a few minutes I had obtained a few ideas and turned to voice them to my Sensei. "Maybe – what?" I asked finding that he had been studying me thoroughly the whole time, but he just smiled before patting me on the head.

"You are a rare find and I thank you for sharing that with me." He said off topic.

"O – K" I said slightly confused.

"I don't know if you realized this but you were my _last_ hope, Donatello." He admitted. "I had given up on ever finding someone to follow in my steps, to pass on the knowledge that could help so many. But when I met _you_ I knew I had to try again."

"I – I didn't know that." I stated quietly.

"Unlike you I never really had a _desire_ to make a difference; just to help as many as I could." He admitted gripping his staff near the top as he spoke. "But I always felt that my knowledge should never fade; that it should always _remain_." I looked at the forest as I considered that. "Which is why I must ask a favor of you Donatello?"

"What?" I asked quietly.

"_Improve_ on my designs." He requested still watching the trees thoughtfully. "Learn and _teach_ them to others, never allow this knowledge to die." He continued and I couldn't help but to watch him with a certain level of honor as he went on. "Make it your own, make it something I never could and _live _for the day that _nobody dies_."

…

_(Raph's POV)_

I had no idea there were so many stinking _weapons_ out there.

I was just lucky the elders didn't expect me to learn everything before my 15th birthday; which was when my brothers and I were eligible to become Jounin. However _I_ wasexpected to keep learning afterwards and apparently _never_ _stop_.

I decided that I was in for a _long _life.

But admitted I really was starting to _enjoy _it and found that I was actually having a lot of fun learning how to use these weapons and tools to the upmost of their abilities. Heck I was even starting to like the history part – a _little_.

I massaged my neck as I walked through the courtyard; respectfully avoiding the self-defense classes that were still in process for the people from the village.

"Ow." I said to myself as I lowered my arm again.

I was starting to think that Gen was an even harder slave-driver than Roku and that was saying _a lot_, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as apparently the lady was responsible for _training_ Roku when he was younger, so she would have to be pretty tough.

As I opened the front door to our home I allowed my senses to wander slightly until they told me that I was the only one there. Splinter usually made a point of waiting up for us so he must have had something else to do today.

I proceeded to retire to the basking room a minute later and laid out with a wet cloth over my eyes until I sensed another presence enter the house. I was about to just ignore it and go back to my basking but for some reason it _nagged_ at me.

Something wasn't right.

I sat up slowly and looked around trying to pinpoint the feeling before getting to my feet and walked into the living room. "Donnie?" I asked the house but received no answer which worried me, Donnie _never_ ignored us.

Slowly I made my way toward his room and quietly moved to take a peek inside; for all I knew he could just be asleep, a whole day of ninja training tended to have that effect on people.

However that was when I heard something coming from the bathroom and swiftly moved to check there instead. "Don?" I said to the room as I opened the door but he wasn't currently in my sights.

"What?" I barely heard him answer and raised an eye-ridge at the _not right _sound of his voice and quickly made my way around the corner where I found him leaning heavily against the tub; draped over the rim like a wet blanket.

"Hey!" Immediately rushing to his side I struggled to control my panic and help him sit up again as he obviously didn't have the strength to do it himself. "What's wrong? Are ya okay?"

All kinds of unpleasant scenarios played through my mind but the one at the top of the list was without a doubt the _Retalion_.

"Donnie?" I asked in a panic when he didn't answer right away.

"I'm fine." He lied before promptly pulling himself back toward the tub and threw up.

I quickly rushed to the sink to get a wet cloth and returned a second later. "Easy!" I said giving him the washcloth and he immediately held it over his mouth as he took in several deep breaths. We'd discovered a while ago that sucking in small portions of water really helped when we were sick.

I carefully maneuvered him into a more comfortable position and started to run the water in the tub as well, making sure to thoroughly wash away the sick before plugging the drain.

"I'm okay." He said again sleepily and I scoffed at his poor attempt to appear normal.

"Yeah I can see that." I told him sarcastically; trying desperately not to show how scared I was as I waited for the bath to fill and gently helped him to remove his mask so it wouldn't get in the way before starting to help him out of his clothes.

In truth we were much more comfortable without them anyway but people tended to act a little – _put_-_off_ when you walked around in your birthday-suite, mutant or otherwise.

After several minutes I managed to get him into the water to which he hadn't argued one bit; which was even more discouraging. Donnie was about as stubborn as _me_ when it came to being cared for, though my reason was simple pride where his was not wanting to be a bother to anyone.

I felt his forehead but he didn't have a fever so I moved to check his pulse just because I was paranoid, but I wasn't a doctor; I couldn't tell if there was something wrong just that he was still alive.

"Donnie?" I said again and he opened his eyes to look at me. "Tell me what ta do, tell me how ta help!" I begged.

"Well first off – you could stop – _yelling_." He requested.

"Oh – sorry." I quickly told him lowering my voice. "What else?" I insisted quietly.

"It'll go away." He said and I suddenly had a horrible realization.

"This isn' the _first_ time this has happened is it?" I accused him and he shook his head. "Damn it Donnie, why didn't ya _tell_ anyone?" I yelled causing him to wince and turn away from me slightly. "Sorry." I quickly said again with my inside voice.

"It's okay –" He started again but I interrupted him.

"It's _not_ okay, being sick is _not _okay." I insisted and he turned to give me a look. "What?" I asked in annoyance.

"If you'd let me _finish_," He started again. "I already took something for it. I can feel it working, I'll be fine in about an hour."

"Ya sure?" I asked on auto-pilot and he quickly turned to glare at me.

"Why do you guys _ask_ me that?" He grumbled suddenly. "Of course I'm _sure_, I wouldn't _say it_ if I wasn't _sure_." He proclaimed before whining slightly as his headache seemed to flare again and he quietly leaned back against the side of the tub to close his eyes.

"Sorry." I said again out of more _shock _than anything. 'Who knew Donnie was such a _grouchy_ sick person?'

"Stop apologizing!" He ordered and I jumped at the fire in his voice. "Just stop – _asking_." He declared without even looking up.

'Gees, I had no idea that _bothered_ him so much.' I thought to myself before smiling as a little spark of an idea meandered through my mind. "Alright how 'bout this." I started and he turned slightly to listen. "Ya promise ta never lie ta me about being sick and I'll promise never ta ask that question again."

He opened his eyes slowly and gave me a look but I held my ground, I wasn't going to budge and he knew it. So after several minutes of nothing but staring each other down he finally relented; obviously too tired to argue with me right now, which was good 'cause if he had been in one of his debating moods I wouldn't have had a snowball's change in hell of winning this battle.

"Deal." He stated tiredly and promptly fell asleep where he was.

…

"I'm not an _invalid_, Raph." Donnie insisted about an hour later giving me an annoyed look as I helped him to his room; measuring out my strength and balance perfectly so as not to hurt him.

"Hey!" He argued when I kicked his door open with such force that it knocked the doorknob off on the wall behind it. "I understand you're mad but that's no reason to wreck my room." He grumbled as I sat him on the bed, gave him a glare that promised pain and suffering should he move and rushed off to locate a warmer blanket.

"Raph, will you –" He started but I interrupted him quickly by shoving the first bed covering I could find directly in his face and he glared at me evilly before snatching the offending piece of wool. "Will you _relax_." He ordered begrudgingly. "I'm _fine_."

"I thought we had a _deal_?" I asked folding my arms over my chest to glare right back at him.

"We _do_." He stated. "And I'm _not _lying to you, I really _am_ okay now." Admittedly he really _did_ seem back to his usually self, but I would be go-to-hell if I admitted that to _him_. Not after he nearly gave me a heart-attack.

He seemed to deflate slightly as he picked up on my emotions and turned to look at the floor. "I'm sorry." He stated seriously. "I didn't mean to scare you but I _promise_ I'm fine."

I studied him for another several seconds looking for any indication that he might be hiding something from me but found none.

"So what happened?" I finally asked causing him to wince slightly like he had been dreading that question. "What?" I asked skeptically.

"It's – hard to explain." He admitted looking to the side slightly like the conversation made him uncomfortable.

"Training?" I asked simply and he nodded. Okay so _that_ I could understand, I knew from my own experience that the elders had all kind of rules regarding whom we could and couldn't tell about our personal training with them. Though I didn't like that he couldn't talk to me about it I would just have to live with it for now.

"All right." I admitted slightly annoyed and sat down next to him. "Just tell me everything's okay and I'm being a idiot for worryin' so much." I ordered and he smiled.

"Everything _is_ okay and you _are _being an idiot." He repeated and I promptly gave him a look.

"Ya forgot the last part." I grumbled and he laughed before we sat in companionable silence for another minute until I finally just had to ask. "What can I do ta help?"

"What do you mean?" He asked the floor.

"Don' play dumb Donnie, it doesn' suit ya." I insisted causing him to finally look at me. "This isn' the first time this happened and I'm willing ta guess it won' be the _last_."

We watched each other for a minute and I could clearly see the knowing look in his eyes. "Probably not." He finally admitted and I couldn't help but twitch slightly in discomfort. It was one thing to suspect it but another to have it confirmed.

"What can I do?" I asked again and he sighed before getting up to walk to his dresser.

"This." He answered as he sat back down a minute later and handed me a little leather bag, however as I went to open it I promptly gagged and held it as far away as I could; trying to escape the foul odor.

"What the _hell_ it that?" I scoffed using my ninja training to block out the sent.

"Aromatherapy." He answered simply as he reached over to carefully tie the bag closed again; seemingly unaware of the horrid stench emanating from within.

"Please tell me ya haven' been _eatin' _that?" I begged giving him a disbelieving look as my eyes started to water.

"No." He stated raising an eye-ridge at me. "Aromatherapy is _smell_, doofus." He corrected. "All you need to do it make me sniff it for about a second." He instructed as he returned the bag to its hiding place and picked up his blanket again before making his way to the door; obviously intent on going to the basking room.

"That's it?" I asked somewhat amazed. "No pills or needles?"

"Nope." He answered simply stopping at the threshold to look back at me. "It's all natural."

"Well that's a lot better than some a the things I was imagining." I admitted standing up to follow him and he laughed under his breath. "But _still_." I added. "That stuff should be considered legalized _torture_." I proclaimed looking back at the dresser questionably.

"Than I guess I shouldn't tell you that, in some cultures, it _is_." He stated and I quickly turned back to tell him just what I thought of that comment only to find that he had already vacated the premises.

"Donnie!" I yelled into the house and stomped after him; determined to _knock_ some sense into my little brother.

…

_(Leo's POV)_

"Great!" I groaned sourly as I looked around the dreaded_ Ha'shi._

"Relax Leonardo; this will be nothing like your former training." Ichi told me reassuringly but unfortunately there was something about the little _smile _he displayed that failed to reassure me that this would be any less maddening. "Stand in the center please." He instructed which caused me to flinch involuntarily but I did as I was told.

I nearly started running on pure impulse to get to the other side as fast as I could; fully expecting the traps and weapons to activate as soon as I set foot inside the training zone, but thankfully I wasn't flattened by any ceiling tiles or dropped into any pits.

For now

My paranoia made the journey feel at least three times as long as it actually was so when I was finally standing in the middle of the room I started to wonder if I was actually _dreaming_. I would have been lying if I said I hadn't hoped for a similar accordance in the past.

"Ready your sword." Ichi ordered from his place near the activation pad and I did as I was told; quickly pulling my blade from my back and took a stance. "We'll start slowly." He informed me before pressing a button and I immediately cringed as I heard the gears fall into place; half expecting every weapon in the room to activate instantly.

It took about a second for the first attack to come in the form of a sharp projectile zipping by at high speed causing me to instantly dodge out-of-the-way as it missed my head by barely an inch.

"Your _sword_ Leonardo!" Ichi demanded as I quickly moved to dodge several other kunai. "This is not an exercise in evasion, _defend_ yourself." I quickly did as he said and dug into a spot on the floor so I could raise my weapon into a protective position instead.

I successfully deflected the weapons from all angles for several minutes as they started coming faster and faster and in larger and larger numbers until before long I was so overwhelmed that I had to resort to dodging again, but Ichi didn't seem to care so long as I was still defending myself physical.

However it wasn't long after that before I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and knew I had been hit, but I ignored it and remained completely focused on my training; refusing to flinch as I continued the exercise. However a second later everything came to a stop anyway when Ichi deactivated the room again.

"Stand down." He advised as he started walking toward me.

"What? Why?" I asked in a panic, surprisingly enough I wasn't that concerned about failing as from the way the older mutant had been steadily increasing the speed told me that I wasn't_ supposed _to win this one, but that only meant that he was _waiting _for me to do something and I would have to figure out what it was before I was cut to shreds.

"As I said this is an exercise in _defense_." He answered before motioning for me to lower my sword. "Not endurance." He added distractedly as he leaned down to inspect my wound.

It wasn't that bad as the kunai wasn't even _real_; it was actually _origami_ paper with its edges cut off so it didn't cause serious damage. But that didn't mean the thing hadn't hurt like a son-of-a-bitch when it had hit.

A second later Ichi decided I would live and started back to the switch so he could begin the session again.

"Sensei?" I asked in his wake. "What am I supposed to be _doing_ exactly?"

"Defending yourself." He responded simply.

"But – we've already learned this." I complained truthfully as my brother's and I had mastered the art of defense years ago.

"This is true." He agreed cupping his hands behind his back as he turned around to regard me with a studying look. "However it's always important to insure your skills with your _own_ weapon."

That made sense.

However as I thought it over for a second I realized a little late that he had activated the room again causing something to immediately spring up directly behind me. It took me less than a second to ready my sword again, turn and proceeded to slice downward intending to cut the practice dummy in half, however I was forced to stop my momentum barely an inch from the thing's neck when I realized it wasn't one of my _usually_ targets.

Just as quickly as I had attacked I pulled my sword back; trying to get the blade as far away from the fake as I could which finally gave me a chance to see it clearly.

True it wasn't a _good_ representation by any stretch of the imagination, but it was close enough to make attacking it extremely uncomfortable, as the practice dummy had been _purposely_ dressed to resemble one of my– _brothers_.

I quickly turned back to face Ichi who was still standing near the switch studying me thoughtfully; having obviously known exactly what was happening but made no move to change it.

"Sensei – I –" I started nervously.

"It is alright." He assured me. "You don't have to attack it if you don't want to."

"I don't." I answered quickly causing him to nod in understanding before pushing another button on the wall.

"Then _defend_ it." He ordered as the throwing stars started raining down again and I immediately took up my sword to stand between the weapons and the target that was supposed to be my brother where I quickly started deflecting kunai after kunai; refusing to let even one get through.

However it wasn't much longer before it got to the point that I would have started dodging again, but of course this time I couldn't afford to do so and instead used my shell as a shield.

Again Ichi didn't seem to care that I had switched up the rules again as he just continued to watch me for – whatever it was he was waiting for.

"That's enough." He called when I finally missed another star which embedded itself into my leg this time and I carefully reached down to remove it as he made his way over again; before turning around to check on my fake brother who was completely unharmed.

"Am I doing something wrong?" I couldn't help but ask as he checked out my newest injury to insure it wasn't serious.

"I would like to see something." He answered simply. "And being a third party makes it easier." However he didn't turn to go back to the switch this time; instead he just folded his hands behind his back and looked at me from the spot.

"When something you care for is in danger you are _unstoppable_." He proclaimed randomly motioning toward the dummy. "However when you stand _alone_ that passion _wanes_." I couldn't help but deflate slightly as he said this even though he obviously didn't mean it as a failure. "Why is that?" He finished a second later.

"I – don't know." I admitted nervously causing him to nod once in understanding before talking again.

"It is almost as if you do not _care_ what happens to yourself; so long as your team survives." He guessed seriously. "Is this true?"

"I –" I tried to answer but for some reason his question hit a lot harder than I had expected. "Yeah – I think it is." I finally answered after a minute of thought which caused him to promptly look at me with a saddened expression. "I'm sorry." I immediately added but he quickly shook his head and laid a hand on my shoulder.

"No Leonardo, it is I who is sorry." He corrected gently. "I should have seen it before now, _done _something before now."

"You couldn't have known."

"But I did." He proclaimed before moving to sit on the floor and motioned for me to join him. "It has been a very long time since I have trained another so personally; I have no shame in admitting that I am a little – _rusty_." He added which caused me to back peddle slightly.

This was him _rusty_? I'd hate to know what he was like at full strength.

"I consulted your father in the hopes of isolating your strengths." He continued mindfully. "And Mr. Perry as well."

"Jordan?" I asked slightly shocked. "Why him?"

"He knows much about your past." He responded simply. "But it wasn't until I watched you wield your weapon that I realized it was indeed still weighing heavily on your shoulders."

"I don't understand." I admitted. "You said I was a natural."

"And you are." He declared unquestionably. "That is what _worries_ me." He added and I couldn't help but feel even more confused than I already was. "You brandished your sword as if it were _apart_ of you, as if you had never been without it. In time your ability will no doubt rival even my own."

"Really?" I asked in shock and he smiled before going on.

"However that kind of skill must be _tempered_." He continued seriously. "It would be devastating in the hands of someone who does not value life."

"I do." I immediately retaliated. "I would _never_ hurt anyone."

"I know." Ichi admitted with a nod and I opened my mouth to respond but found that I still didn't have a clue what I was supposed to be learning here. "Let me tell you a story." He suddenly stated and I quickly closed my mouth in preparation to hear what he had to say.

"There was once a boy; much like you who was naturally gifted, he _excelled _in his training and welded a weapon with such skill that no one could challenge him." He gave me a minute to muddle thought that information but I was still very much confused by the time he continued.

"You have met the man he is today." He started seriously and I suddenly had the feeling I wasn't going to like his next sentence, and I was right. "_Oroku Saki_." He finally revealed and I found myself immediately shunning away from the name. "The man you know as _Shredder_."

"But –" I started in a panic; fear leaking into my voice as I struggled to find a way to deny his words.

"However –" Ichi continued immediately and I quickly focused on him again desperate for a lifeline. "There is one very _subtle_ difference between you and him and it is this very difference that makes you _nothing _alike." He told me reassuringly. "You see when things went wrong in his life; Saki would always blame _others_, where _you_ focus that blame solely on _yourself_."

I tried to say something during the time he allowed me to think that over but for some reason there didn't seem to be any words to say. In the space of but a minute I had faced one of my worst nightmares and come out the other side with nothing to show for it.

"I did not tell you this to scare you." Ichi continued and I slowly looked up at him again to listen. "It's important to know your enemy that's how we _counter_ them, but sometimes being the _opposite_ is just as dangerous."

"I don't understand." I admitted solemnly.

"Saki cares only for himself and accelerating his own power, he would waste not one moment of his time on the well being of the people that serve him." Ichi explained quietly. "But you are different, your power comes from the compassion you have for others and the reckless determination you show for protecting them."

"And that's – _bad_."I asked in a fit of confusion. How could being everything Shredder _wasn't_ not be a good thing?

Ichi smiled kindly in my direction before continuing. "These traits are what make both you and Saki so extremely _dangerous_, however they are not what make you _strong_."

I watched the ground as I tried to muddle that out before looking back up again to find him studying me thoroughly and I was suddenly under the impression that he had seen straight through me to something that he _did not _like.

"Give me your hand please." He stated simply and I immediately did as I was told only to quickly pull back again when he suddenly sliced the sharp end of his knife across my palm, however he wouldn't let me retreat instead he only held tighter to my wrist forcing me to remain in my spot.

"You are not_ immortal_, Leonardo." He stated suddenly so forceful that I couldn't help but freeze in slight fear of his anger. "You live, you breathe, you _bleed_!" He continued as he pushed one of his fingers deep into my new wound to emphasize his point and I couldn't help but cry out slightly in pain. "And one day; no matter how great your skill, no matter how prepared you are you will _die_." He stated seriously and I quickly looked up at him in surprise.

I was so shocked by this sudden turn around that all I could do was stare at him as he finally released my hand and watched me for a response, but I didn't have one.

"No matter how hard we try there will always be things that we cannot do, there is no _dishonor_ in this." He said gently and I looked down at my hand as I flexed it gingerly; letting his words wash over me as he finished. "Only if you _give up _will you ever truly _fail_."

…

To say I was nervous was a serious understatement but I kept my cool for my brother's sake as Jordan gently closed and locked the door to the infirmary behind him. It was pretty obvious that the poor man was just as spooked about this as we were; if not more so, which was hard to believe.

"Are you sure it's –" He started to ask Donnie again for a twelve-hundredth time today.

"Yes!" Donnie promptly interrupted. "We trust you and you know more about this than any of us." He added before calming down again and looked in the man's direction seriously. "_Please_, I need your _help_."

Jordan seemed to deflate as that sank in and nodded solemnly "Of course."

I jumped when a hand fell on my shoulder and turned from the exchange to look up at my father. "Are you alright, my son?" He asked gently.

"No." I answered truthfully and he smiled sadly at the admission but nodded in understanding.

"Are you ready?" Leatherhead asked then and we all turned to look at him as he moved a little roiling tray closer to the metal table in the middle of the room. "The jammers are in place." He added encouragingly. "You will _not_ be detected." Looking around at my brothers I discovered that none of us really wanted to answer his question; regardless of the reassuring comment.

My brothers and I had been discussing this for a while but it wasn't until we realized that our Jounin test was less than a month away that we finally decided it was time to _remove_ the _GPS_ _chips_; our last real connection to Shredder.

On top of that Donnie had even found the _verbal commanded center_ in the nano-bots control panel in our necks and was prepared to _remove _it. The fear we had; had since kids of being _controlled_ by another would no longer consume us; we would finally be _truly _free.

However looking back at the medical table in the room all the memories of our tortuous childhood came rushing back. This was why _Donnie_ was going to do the procedure himself and between him, Leatherhead, Jordan, Jyu and even Olcadan we couldn't have _asked_ for a better group of doctors.

So when Donnie finally spoke up saying that he was prepared to start; I was immediately on my feet ready to go before anyone else, however I was quickly interrupted by _Raph_ who just stood up and forced me back into my seat.

"Sit down fearless, it's _my_ turn." He proclaimed sternly.

"Raph." I quickly reached out to grab his shoulder and pull him back as I whispered my argument. "I can go –"

"No!" He refused. "One of us has ta be there for Mikey and I don' want him goin' first."

He had a point there.

"You're sure?" I asked in a low voice that only he could hear and he nodded seriously before moving to remove my hand from his arm and walked over to _willingly _lie on the table.

"Sure ya'll be okay without me?" Raph joked with Donnie obviously trying to ignore the fact that he was about to undergo _surgery_.

"I think we'll live." Donnie told him with a smirk but it didn't reach his eyes as he was still preparing himself mentally for what he was about to do.

After exchanging a few more words of banter Donnie handed our brother the oxygen mask. He'd explained before that he wanted us to feel _in control_ for as long as possible, so by giving us the option to put ourselves to sleep he hoped to improve our state of panic.

However Raph was clearly still having a problem with the motion as he just stared at the mask for several minutes before finally turning to look at me again and it was then, as I looked into his eyes, that I saw the true extent of his _fear_.

He would never admit it but it was _consuming _him.

I quickly took a few steps closer to the table and smiled reassuringly as I reached out my fist for a bump. "The day is gone." I said simply and his eyes widened a little as he recognized the words from a life-time ago when our positions had been flipped. "It doesn't exist." I continued and a slow but _genuine_ smile slowly crept across his face as he finally reached out to tap his fist against mine.

"The day is gone." He repeated quietly before confidently raising the mask to his face and laid back to start his new life.

…

We were well aware that Donnie was the main doctor on sight as it was the whole reason we had even _agreed _to do this in the first place for he was the _only one _we truly trusted to do the job and everyone knew it. Which was why something about _watching_ him work seemed to reduce Mikey's stress to the point that he was almost _calm _as he waited for his turn.

Though they didn't do anything; both Olcadan and Jordan were constantly at his side giving him advice and walking him through the process; even though I was sure Donnie already knew what to do.

But watching him myself I could tell he wasn't nearly as relaxed as he wanted everyone to believe. This was the stuff of our nightmares and he was actually making it _happen_;that couldn't have been easy to work through so I was glad they were there to give him confidence.

However there was a time when things seemed to go a little south as the nano-bots in Raph's body started working overtime to close the wound; obviously under the impression that he was under attack.

Though it was nice to know that they would do that in the future it still made things pretty tense for a minute, but Donnie took it in strides; almost like he had _expected_ it and quietly continued his work as if nothing had happened.

I admit I was impressed.

He had gone from priceless supporter to _irreplaceable_ _asset_ in just five short years, if that didn't earn him a 'most improved' sticker I don't know what would.

Though it felt like longer; Donnie was stitching up the wound in little under half an hour and with the nano-bots in the area feeding on steroids I doubt it would take long to heal the cut; however that only meant that there would be a _scar_.

The nano-bots weren't capable of replicating some of our body's more complicated natural healing components, so by healing the injury _instantly_ we were actually _skipping_ several processes and as such the scar tissue was almost always thicker than necessary.

I watch as Leatherhead stepped up to gently lift and turn Raph over so the next process could be done which was the part that really made me nervous. I didn't have to be a doctor to know the _spinal cord _wasn't something you messed with; but I had faith in my brother's ability to perform the procedure without worry.

A couple minutes later Donnie had removed a tiny little chip from Raph's neck that was probably no bigger than a the head of a pin and gave it to Jordan before working to check that everything had gone alright and closed the wound again.

When he was finally done Jyu made him sit while Leatherhead and Splinter moved Raph to a recovery bed where he would probably remain unconscious for the next several hours, so we'd have to wait a little longer to know for sure if anything had gone wrong.

After checking him over myself; just to make sure he was alive in my own obsessive way I headed back to the table to be with Mikey as he got up to start his own surgery.

"You okay?" Donnie asked with a smile as Jordan went to prepare a clean set of instruments.

"I think so." Mikey admitted distractedly playing with the mask before taking a little whiff of the gas and actually _laughed_ as it made him light headed.

Donnie gave me a look out of the corner of his eye as he washed his hands and I quickly reached out to force our baby brother onto his back so he didn't fall.

"Hey Leo, you look funny." He told me with a goofy grin.

"Thanks." I stated sourly.

"_Ay-yah_!" Donnie complained with a roll of his eyes which I couldn't help but agree with. Only _Mikey _could turn this into a _fieldtrip_.

"Hey Don?" He asked next and Donnie quickly looked in his direction to let him know he was listening. "If I lose my arm will you make me a new one?"

Donnie seemed slightly taken aback by that and for good reason, with his overactive mind I could just imagine him visualizing our little brother _without_ his left arm.

"No Mikey I won't." He answered without pause. "Cause you're not _going_ to loose your arm." He said this with just the right level of dismissive talent to convince his patient that it was a stupid even _ridicules_ notion.

And it _worked_.

"Yeah okay." Mikey agreed with a smile clearly comforted by the words.

"Just go to sleep." Donnie ordered taking the mask from his hands to drop it on his face. "Goofball." He added as Mikey clamored for the thing so he could place it over his beak, however before he took a breath he suddenly seemed to think of something else and quickly reached out to grab my arm.

"What?" I asked him gently thinking he was starting to panic but instead he was looking at me like _I_ was the one in need of comfort.

"_No_ _dying_!" He suddenly ordered and I back-peddled a little at the seriousness of his voice. "_Promise_ _me_ – promise me you're gonna be here when I wake up."

"Of course I am." I told him quietly with a smile but he didn't seem convinced.

"I _mean_ it Leo." He added sternly. "You gotta start _caring_ more, we _need _you."

To say I was shocked at these words would have been an understatement; but somehow I finally understood what Ichi had been trying to teach me before. If I continued to regard my own life as useless I would be no better than Shedder, I _had_ to care, I had to _live_ – for _them_.

"Okay." I finally told him seriously. "I _promise_."

My little brother seemed to except it this time and smiled at me before finally laying the mask over the mouth and nose so he could breathe into it like he was Darth Vader.

It took a minute; but after several lines of Star-Wars quotes he was finally down for the count and Donnie carefully laid a mask over his own mouth before picking up a scalpel and gently but expertly started the incision on his arm.

"Leo!" He stated calmly a few minutes later as I looked over to see that he had found the little piece of tech buried in Mikey's veins. "Go sit down please, you're making me _nervous_."

"Sorry." I told him quickly and carefully back stepped out-of-the-way to sit with Splinter again.

"It is alright my son." My father informed me after I spent a couple minutes trying to see from my new spot. "Your brother is well trained; he will not allow anything to happen."

"I know, but –"

"Have faith." He interrupted me and gently reached out to pull me back into my seat. Normally that would have been it as my father's word was law, but in less than a minute I was back on my feet and checking on Raph instead.

He was still sleeping as I had expected, but I still leaned in to make sure his chest was rising and falling like it should which was how I saw the little black band on his nightstand.

Now that it was such a big deal I found myself remembering that day more and more. The day we had escaped from the Purple Dragons, when we had lost our first real _home_, how Leatherhead had gently lifted my arm to slide the band over the spot where Shredder's tech threatened to keep us imprisoned or on the run for the rest of our lives and now as I picked up the little radar jammer I couldn't help but be thankful.

For something so small it had given us so much.

A life we wouldn't have had otherwise, friends we had just learned to love and freedom we now thrived to fight for.

…

I had almost forgotten how _light_ Mikey was as he had long since grown out of his clinging stage. I remember at one time thinking that it was _annoying _but as I carried him to his bed I found I actually missed it.

"You ready?" Donnie asked quietly after checking him over one last time as if making sure that his arm was indeed still there.

"Yeah." I answered before following him back to the table. "Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" I asked for probably the 10th time today as I moved to lie down as well. Though I understood his reasoning for being the _last_ one I still didn't like the idea of him being _alone_.

For not only would he have to go through the process knowing that none of us would be at his side; but he would also have to do it knowing the _someone else _was performing the operation.

"I'll be fine." He told me simply as he washed his hands again. "I trust Olcadan."

"You could _wait_." I suggested again. "Just wait for us to wake up that way we'll be here."

"Leo." He started seriously turning to look at me straight in the eye. "To be perfectly honest that would only make it _harder_, I just want to get it over with, I don't want to be the _only_ _one_ conscious."

"But –"

"Just promise me you'll be there when I wake up." He repeated just as Mikey had and I suddenly found myself unable to protest further. The look in his eye told me it would be futile anyway; he had made up his mind and nothing could change it now.

"Okay." I finally agreed as he handing me the mask. "I promise." I made sure to say before placing it over my mouth and nose and watched him as he remained comfortably in my line of sight until everything went black.

…

"I think he's waking up." I heard Mikey's voice suggest as I started to come to and opened my eyes to find him not even a full inch away from my face.

"Ahh!" I proclaimed in shock trying to back up into my pillow so my personal space would be a little bigger.

"Hey _nisan_." He stated with a big goofy smile before he was roughly pushed out-of-the-way by a dark-green arm that clearly belonged to Raph. Looking to the side I found said sibling sitting backwards in a chair between me and the bed next to mine; where I could see Donnie still sleeping.

"'Sup?" Raph declared in my direction with a smirk. "Guess I lost the _bet_."

"What bet?" I asked pushing myself up as Mikey jumped back into the conversation.

"He thought you would do _kata's_ in your sleep." He answered before plopping down on the edge of my bed.

"That _again_, you already know I don't." I told them with a look of 'seriously?'

"Yeah but people do lots a crazy stuff when they're _drugged_." Raph complained but for some reason he didn't seem all that upset about losing. "Like _talking _in their sleep." He added with a smirk and my heart dropped.

"_What_?" I demanded quickly causing Mikey to roll over in a fit of giggles. "I do _not_."

"Oh _yes _ya do." Raph countered clearly enjoying himself.

"Like what?" I ordered sternly but that only made his smile grow bigger.

"Let's just say I got _lots_ a blackmailmaterial." He proclaimed before looking behind him when Donnie stirred slightly and Mikey quickly jumped off my bed to get up close and personal with the purple clad turtle this time.

"Donnie." He whispered slowly in his ear. "_Dooonie_."

"Knock it off shell-for-brains." Raph ordered threatening to pound him if he didn't stop being a nuisance, but Mikey just continued what he was doing; choosing to ignore him.

Raph was about to get up and just throw him off himself when Donnie beat him to it and simply reached up without even opening his eyes to push Mikey's face away; causing the turtle to fall off the bed to the sound effects of a collapsing tray of towels and bedpans.

"I swear Donnie ya've turned ignoring Mikey into a real _art_." Raph commended around his laughter as our brother just rolled over in bed to make himself comfortable again.

"Did anything go wrong?" He asked tiredly; still struggling between wanting to sleep some more and needing to wake up.

"Nope." Raph answered with a smile. "Ya did great bro, though it would a been nice if ya could a turned off Mikey's _annoying_ switch."

"Yes it _would_ _have_." Don agreed still choosing not to open his eyes.

"Hey!" Mikey complained popping up on the other side of the bed as if the floor was spring loaded. "You could at least say some fancy words about how it's _not_ _possible_."

"Now why would I say that? I need _something _to get me out of bed in the morning." Donnie answered without missing a beat and Raph promptly bust into laughter to which I couldn't help but join in as Mikey pouted over the comment.

"You guys aren't any fun at all."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed

Feed the starving writer.


	11. Chapter 10

**Guest:** Thank you very much for pointing out my spelling, I always worry about that stuff and even though I go through my chapters meticulously there always seems to be a few things I miss. Thank You Thank You

**Your question:** Actually both are accurate; "_nisan_" is actually far more personal to a little brother as it can mean big brother or just brother and is usually used by a younger sibling to addresses his or her own big brother.

Now "_oniisan_" is a little more formal and can mean big brother or also "a young gentleman". So it would be reasonable for Mikey, Donnie and even Raph to say this to Leo as they are all younger than him.

And actually Mikey was in fact the first to call Leo "_oniisan_" back in chapter 2; however the reason Donnie called him by the name was because he was being kind of serious at the time.

…

Last Chapter ^-^

I admit I really enjoyed this part; I'll be sad to see it go.

* * *

Chapter 10:

Year 11 – Age 14

_(Mikey's POV)_

I stood solemnly on the spot where Shichi had informed me that my final test would take place; however it seemed that she intended to make me _wait _for it.

_Again_

'Honestly; is that all anyone here knows how to do?'

"It's nice to see you've been working on your _patience_, _kame_." Shichi's voice suddenly declared causing me to nearly jump right out of my skin and turn toward her.

"I _really_ wish you'd stop doing that!" I muttered sourly before I noticed the audience that had accompanied her. "Guys?" I said in shock as all three of my siblings grinned in my direction.

"I've just had a little talk with your brothers and they've agreed to help with your final." Shichi explained and I couldn't help but grin to myself as I realized I had this in the bag.

The only reason they would be here was if they _knew _what I was supposed to be doing. So all I had to do was shoot them some puppy-dog eyes and I'd pass this thing with flying colors.

"Here are the rules." Shichi went on and we all turned to look at her again as she pulled out two brightly colored flags. "There will be two teams, each of you will be charged with protecting one flag."

"Wait a minute." I interrupted curiously. "That sounds like capture the flag."

"It is." She reveled simply before going on. "Each member can either _hold_ the flag or _defend _it. If you are holding the flag you _cannot_ move; if you are not you can _only_ defend. You may use your environment however you deem fit, but you can only run or attack if _both_ of you are touching the flag or if you've lost it."

"You have until sunset to bring me the other team's flag, however I will not make it _easy _for you." She finished with a little smirk before looking up at the sun to gage the time of day. "When I say go; each team must run as far as they can in opposite directions for 5 minutes, after that the game will begin."

With that she held out the flags for us to choose our color and I quickly descended on the bright yellow one, leaving the red one for the other team, which turned out to be Raph and Donnie.

I gave Leo a thumbs-up as he reached out to take the other corner so we could start moving immediately after Shichi gave the word to run; who continued to look up for another 30 seconds before raising her hand and dropped it as she yelled.

"Go!"

…

After five minutes Leo and I stopped to take a quick breather before looking around for anything we could use.

"Okay Mikey." He suddenly spoke up and I turned to him as I heard his _leader _voice switch on. "Knowing Raph he'll have a frontal attack in mind, so we'll hold our ground over there." He proclaimed pointing toward a building in the distance.

"But –" I started only for him to interrupt me.

"I'll hold the flag and you'll defend me." He finished before making to move again but I held my ground.

"Leo, that's a _stupid_ idea." I said gently trying not to hurt his feelings. "You're much better at defense than I am and there's no way Donnie will go along with an all-out attack."

He seemed to take that into consideration for a second before speaking again. "Okay, _you'll_ hold the flag, let's go!"

"What –" I started to say again; that was really _not_ what I had; had in mind, but he quickly forced me to run again before I could complain and I huffed sourly as we started our way toward the building he had pointed out before; which I had argument with as well.

Not only couldn't we see anyone coming; but it was surrounded by tall places that our brothers could drop in on us from above.

"Leo." I said again when I had been situated in the middle of the roof with the flag. "I really don't think this is a very good idea. We should be out there trying to find them before they find us."

"I don't think so." He proclaimed without even looking at me and I scowled at his back.

"Look Leo, I don't know what's crawled into your shell today, but I want to _pass _my test." I declared grouchily finally getting him to give me his attention.

"Alright, fine." He proclaimed reaching out to take the flag again so we could run. "We'll do it your way."

"Thank you." I stated dryly before starting to run again.

…

It didn't take long before we came across an indication that our brothers had been in the area, as someone had gone to the trouble of setting up a tripwire between a few air-conditioning units.

I just barely managed to spot the thing before we triggered the trap and quickly pulled Leo back and high-tailed it out of the danger zone. However it didn't take much longer before we came upon another place that showed all the warning signs of an _ambush_.

"Come on let's go." Leo whispered suddenly even though I was still scanning the area and he silently got up to start across the roof toward the higher ground on the other side; but I quickly tugged him back and forced him behind a hiding spot.

"No Leo." I told him sternly. "They're _here_ somewhere."

He quickly turned around to study the zone as well, but clearly didn't see what I saw as he got up again a second later. "There's nothing out there; let's go."

"But –" I argued; reaching out for him again but I was too late; as the sound of boards flipping suddenly announced itself from all directions before we were quickly pelted from all sides by little rocks.

"I told you." I cursed as we high-tailed it to another building, dodging and waving our way between the little missiles. "That is so not fair, Donnie." I yelled toward the area behind us when we had finally managed to hide from the projectiles.

"Oh yes it is." I heard Raph counter with a clear smirk on his face and I glared at the shadow I was sure was him.

"I _told_ you they were here." I growled toward my oldest brother again; but he still didn't seem that interested in listening to me. "Leo, what's going on; why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?" He countered and I gave him a look.

"Like someone put ketchup in your tea." I proclaimed seriously.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He stated simply before moving to start running again. "Let's get out of here."

For once I could agree with him and we quickly booked it out of the cluster of buildings until coming across a little overgrown park and we quickly took shelter under the slide.

"Alright let's –" Leo started again but I didn't let him finish.

"No!" I commanded on the spot. "Whatever it is – just – _no_." He didn't seem at all insulted by my unwarranted refusal; but he'd done a lot of things in the last hour that were strange so I wasn't really surprised.

"Listen Leo," I continued quietly. "I know what I'm doing; just let me take it from here okay?"

He mulled that over for a minute and I was honestly beginning to think that I might have finally gotten through to him but then he had to go and rain on my parade.

"That's not how it works Mike." He answered seriously and I deflated. "This is part of the test; I'm _supposed_ to be hard on you."

"There's a difference between being hard and being _unreasonable_." I countered quickly and he gave me a look before getting to his feet again.

"Let's go." He ordered sternly. "I want to find them before they find us."

I pouted slightly when I realized he was repeating what I had said earlier; only _now_ that wasn't the best course of action and I get the feeling he knew that.

My brother had been trained better than this; why would he keep putting us in harm's way?

"Leo I –" I started again only for him to walk away.

"Come on!" He called back and quickly rushed after him.

"We're not supposed to move without the flag." I told him sourly; though I doubted he cared. I was starting to wish I had thought to pair up with Donnie or even Raph, anything was better than _this_.

…

"Now I know I've said this before, but this is _definitely_ a trap." I whispered in his direction an hour later when we came upon an area of strategically placed buildings around a single roof where our other two siblings were currently standing in place, obviously waiting for us to show ourselves.

I could see that Donnie had the flag and Raph had positioned himself in such a way that he would see us from any direction we choose to attack from. But what really made me nervous was the way my purple-clad brother was crouched on the ground with his hands in a circle.

He only did that when he was _analyzing_; which meant that he already had a plan for anything we could possibly throw at them. This explained why they had chosen the area; we'd be forced to cover quite a bit of distance to reach their flag giving Donnie plenty of time to tell Raph what to do.

Those two had become an incredible team over the years; this was _not _going to be easy.

"Alright," I started in a whisper before Leo could speak and ruin my train of thought. "Donnie's probably got traps there, there and there." I informed him pointing around at the buildings surrounding our brothers. "He probably didn't have enough time to set up a lot; so he'd increase his chances by using the best spots." I explained simply; still narrowing my eyes at the shadows trying to see what kind of contraption he had come up with this time.

"That makes sense." Leo admitted and I promptly turned to look at him in shock. "What?" He asked right back.

"You're _agreeing_ with me?" I proclaimed with a smile but he only turned to look at the scene once again instead of acknowledging that statement.

"They'll never expect a frontal attack." He added and my eyes widened as I realized where he was going with this.

"Oh no you didn't – that's the stupidest –" I started to complain but he just continued to ignore me and bolted from our hiding spot to put his plan into action. "Leo!" I growled as he dragged me along for the ride.

In truth maybe the frontal attack thing might have worked if we had thought it over a little more; as Raph had been clearly caught off guard by the bold attempt. But unfortunately Donnie still had his head in the game and immediately shouted a simple command prompting my red-clad brother to stomp on the ground from a strange angle.

It was then that I realized what was happening and quickly pulled back on Leo's arm trying to get him to change his course. But instead the action just brought us to a screeching halt as the trap under our feet was trigger.

We heard the cracking before anything started to happen; but we didn't have enough time to backtrack before the half of the roof Leo and I were currently standing on gave way under our feet.

Obviously Donnie had taken our safety into account as I soon discovered that the building was in fact a _mattress warehouse_ and we both landed safety (if not very _gracefully_) on a pile of pillow-tops.

However I just started to disentangle myself from the mess when Donnie and Raph appeared in front of us and before we even had a chance to react Raph had snatched our flag from my hand and they were off again.

"No!" I complained before finally pulling myself free of the pile and started after them; but I was already too late, they had vanished into the shadows without a trace. "Why did you _do _that?" I demanded when Leo ran up to my side a second later. "If you had just _waited_ – we could have taken them."

"We know where they're going, we'll just cut them off." He answered calmly; absentmindedly reaching up to sweep some dust off his shoulder as he spoke. "All we need to do is –"

"NO!" I shouted immediately; getting right up in his face due to my anger. "All you've done is make a mess of things, _I'm _in charge now." He seemed genuinely shocked by my tantrum for half a second but quickly covered it up again; however it wasn't fast enough to hide the _truth_ in his eyes and I suddenly found myself calm again as the pieces fell into place.

"You're doing this on _purpose_." I said in surprised understanding and a blink was the only answer I received; but it was enough. "This is part of the test." I figured quickly and took a step back as I realized I had been majorly _duped_.

"I couldn't tell you." Leo answered after a minute. "You had to figure it out on your own."

"You could have given me a _clue_." I complained.

"A clu–" He started before leveling me with a dark look. "Do you have _any_ idea how hard it is for me to be irresponsible? How much more of a _clue _do you _need_?"

He had a point there.

"Well I figured you out _long_ before now." I defended truthfully and he raised an eyebrow at me as I went on. "It just took me a minute to put everything together; that's all."

He smiled at that and shook his head disbelievingly, "Whatever you say bro."

"So does this mean you're on _my _side now?" I prompted hopefully but he only turned to give me a look and I deflated again.

"You haven't learned the lesson yet." He told my simply.

"Yes I have, I –"

"No you haven't" He interrupted sternly. "And until you do; _I'm_ still in charge."

"Oh come on." I groaned childishly. "The least you could do is go easy on me."

"Consider it pay back for the _ketchup_." He suddenly growled in my face and I smiled sheepishly in reply.

Maybe that little prank hadn't been such a good idea; but how was I supposed to know Leo would be the key to passing my final test?

"Come on bro; I thought you were _bigger _than that." I commented trying to work off his sense of honor, but he only replied with a truly _evil _smile.

"Not today." He proclaimed simply before walking out the warehouse door and I deflated like a tire before following.

…

I thought over all of Leo's words as we made our way back through the city to the place we had left Shichi; knowing Donnie and Raph would be looking for her again now that they had our flag.

He had said that I hadn't learned the lesson yet; so there must still be something he was trying to show me, but admittedly I was too distracted trying to keep him from ruining everything to think what it could be.

However all that quickly became obsolete when we heard movement behind us and quickly hopped up into the trees as Raph appeared through the forest to look around for our missing elder.

We made sure to quietly _turn-off _our little spiritual connection again so he wouldn't sense us nearby, but that was _all_ I had time to do; for as I wasn't even given a moment to wonder where Donnie was before Leo had dropped out of his tree on top of our other brother.

I couldn't help but cringe as I realized that was a _really_ bad idea.

Fighting Raph was like fighting a brick wall; you kept your distance and went around, 'cause _moving him _was out of the question and even though Leo had the element of surprise on his side; dropping in on him from above would do absolutely nothing when it came to Raphael; as he was strong enough to _catch _us.

And that was exactly what he did.

Within seconds Raph had pulled Leo off his back to fling him into the forest like he was a rag doll and I winced again as I heard my oldest brother's shell connect with a tree.

That _had_ to hurt.

"Ya okay bro?" Raph called after him smartly; as he took a stance and waited for me to show myself.

"Yeah!" I heard Leo mutter sourly as he got back to his feet.

"Good." Raph stated absentmindedly and quietly searched the trees where I was hiding, but luckily the green of my skin was the perfect camouflage to keep me completely out of sight as I waited for the right time to attack.

When he finally turned around to check behind him I dropped silently out of the tree and hid behind the trunk for a second before rushing him. I wasn't surprised that he caught on to me but where he clearly overpowered me in the strength department I could counter him with _speed_.

I quickly ducked under his punch and whipped out with a stick to hit him on the head right between the eyes.

"Sorry." I told him as he reeled back before hitting him on the back of the head as well. "Sorry." I added again and again as I continued to piss him off before I finally corralled him into the place I wanted and let him try to catch me again until I dogged out-of-the-way at the last second and he ran head first into a wall.

Before he could recover I immediately tripped him up and landed on his shell to pull his hands behind his back and kneel on his neck so he couldn't get the coordination he needed to force me off.

"That was impressive." Leo commented as I looked up to find he had been leaning against a tree to calmly watch as I did all the work.

"You could have _helped_." I told him sourly; but he just smiled before walking up to kneel next to Raph's head.

"So where's Donnie?" He asked cautiously eyeing the area around us in search of our other brother.

"He's lookin' for Shichi." Raph answered after attempting to get up but found he couldn't and quickly resigned himself to defeat. Clearly the only reason he was even here was to draw our attention away from something or he wouldn't have been so _noisy_.

"But you're supposed to be together." I argued truthfully.

"We got _two _flags now; we can move separately." He commented with a smirk.

"She didn't say we could do that."

"She didn' say we _couldn' _either." He countered and I gave him a dark look. Leave it to Donnie to find a loophole in the rules; now I _really_ wish I would have teamed up with him. But then again he probably would have acted the same way as Leo and eventually forced me to take command anyway.

I swear I actually heard the clicking in my brain as the pieces fell into place and I suddenly realized what I was supposed to do.

"Leo take him!" I ordered calmly and he looked at me in shock. "You stay here and watch Raph, _I'm_ going after Donnie."

"My hell; I think he's got it." Raph commented with a smirk. "'Bout time." He added as Leo moved to secure him.

"Okay Mikey." Leo stated with a smile as I jumped to my feet again. "This is _your_ show now." I just smiled back before turning on my heel and raced into the forest in search of my purple-clad brother.

…

True Donnie was a ninja; which meant he didn't _leave _trails to follow, but I wasn't your normal everyday pursuer. I could see things most people couldn't; what others might think as just a branch waving in the wind I could tell had actually been a stepping place for a ninja traveling by tree, which meant I wasn't far behind.

Even though Donnie was small and stealthy like me; he still couldn't match my speed and versatility; so it took less than a minute to finally locate him searching the ground for a sign of Shichi.

Clearly she was hiding somewhere nearby I just had to find out _where_; which was why I stayed hidden in the trees to watch Donnie as he worked.

Not to beep my own horn but if anyone could find her it would have been _me_; however I was willing to take as much help as I could and having two sets of eyes on the ground was better than one; even if my brother wasn't aware that he was helping.

Of course I didn't forget for a moment that Donnie was second only to Leo when it came to detecting auras; especially when he suddenly looked up from his search to stare directly at my location and for a breath-holding moment I thought he had spotted me.

But then my luck held and a bird suddenly took flight nearby and I watched as his gaze became less intense and he quietly returned to his work; leaving me to clutch at my chest in the hopes of slowing down my heart so he wouldn't hear it.

Adding the clues Donnie found to my own I continued to study the area looking for anything that would inform me that Shichi was there; until finally I saw it. The slightest little nick in a rock which anyone else would have seen as normal rock edict; but I could tell was actually a claw mark.

A _cat's_ claw mark to be precise.

With a smile I carefully started to weave my way around my brother; aiming for the direction my brain was now pointing me toward until finally I could bolt off without fear of being spotted.

But it seemed my luck had gone out with the birds; as I suddenly heard Donnie yell after me and I immediately started running faster as he gave chase. However I was quickly forced to take another path when a freaking _shuriken_ imbedded itself in a tree not even an inch to my right. "Damn it Donnie." I complained and promptly hid behind another tree before he could throw another. "That was a little _close_."

"All's fair in love and war little brother." He answered and I couldn't help but glare at a rock as I heard a distinctive _smirk _in his voice.

'I take it back; I'd choose Leo as my partner any day, Donnie was _clearly_ the better jerk.'

I could barely sense my brother circling the tree to my left a minute later and I slowly starting to inch away toward the right when I happened to look up and spot a pair of eyes glowing from among the leaves of an elm tree and a second later Shichi's form appeared from the darkness as she crouched on a branch with her tail calmly swishing back and forth under her.

Clearly the only reason I had seen her there was because she _let_ me; but I would take it.

Before Donnie could round the tree entirely I rebounded off the ground to land on the branch across from her and smiled as my brother became aware of her presence as well. Without a word she just casually held out her hand and I reached into my pocket for the _red flag_ I had taken from Raph.

"Great!" Donnie companied solemnly from below as he sat down to lean against the tree. "He's never gonna let us live this down."

…

"So; what did you learn?" Shichi asked when everyone was present again and my brothers casually chilled out to wait for me.

"That Leo and Donnie are total _creeps_." I answered immediately causing my said siblings to glare at me disapprovingly while Raph just laughed his head off.

Shichi giggled lightly as well before commenting. "Anything _else_?"

"I gotta know when to _question _Leo's orders." I finally responded with certainty.

"Very good." She congratulated. "But that is not _all_." She added quietly and my smile disappeared. "As you know a scout's job is complicated; you must _follow_ your leader yet still lead _him_ when needed. However it's important to know _when _and _where_ as well as _how_. To insure the survival of your team one day you may just have to _take_ _command_ _yourself_."

I swallowed nervously and looked in Leo's direction as I took that in, but strangely enough he didn't seem at all that concerned with the idea and he even smiled and nodded at me reassuringly.

Looking back at Shichi I discovered that she was still waiting for a response so I gave her one. "I understand." I answered solemnly before standing a little taller as I continued.

"But it won't _ever_ be _necessary_."

…

"You're quiet." Leo commented as we started back home a little while later and I looked up to see he had slowed down to walk at my side.

"I was just thinking how _good _you were at being irresponsible." I admitted quizzically. "It's kind of – _scary_."

He laughed lightly before answering. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't _enjoy_ it a little."

"That does _not _make me feel better bro." I told him sourly as I promptly turned to him with a truly terrified expression. "I don't _ever_ wanna take command of the team; that's way too much _work_."

Instead of laughing like I thought he would I just watched him out of the corner of my eye as he turned to look in my direction; where he proceeded to study me for a moment before finally responding.

"You know you could be a _great _leader Mike." He told me seriously and I turned back to him in complete shock. "You have more raw talent than all of us combined; if you'd just – _focus_ it more you'd be a force to be reckoned with."

I admit I was truly touched that he saw me like that, and here I thought the only thing I was ever good for was pranks and getting in the way.

"Thanks _nissan_." I told him genuinely. "But if it's okay; I think I'll just keep being plan-old _Mikey_."

…

_(Donnie's POV)_

I sat nervously on the log outside of Olcadan's home; waiting for the old owl to emerge and start my _final test_ as I meticulously checked my bag again; making sure that I had everything I needed.

Unfortunately ninjas couldn't very well lug around a medical knapsack bigger than they were, so I had to make do with the bare minimum.

I just _hoped _it was enough.

I rubbed my thumb over the bag's material again as I sat up straighter and committed myself to waiting, however I noticed that the action seemed to calm me down and I looked back at the thing with a smile.

Even though my hatchday wasn't for another two days; my brother's had still made a big deal about presenting me with the bag that morning so I could use it for my test.

It was a simple cross-the-body style of shoulder bag that clipped in the front for easy removal and even though Leo had begrudgingly admitted that they found it at the _dump_ I couldn't have found it more _perfect_.

It was easy to carry, could be kept out of my way when it wasn't needed and even had a waterproof lining. It didn't get any better than that.

"Are you ready?" Olcadan asked suddenly and I looked up to find him waiting for me at the door.

I immediately bolted to my feet and slung the bag over my shoulder in one instinctively easy motion as I answered with a "Yes," and he smiled before starting into the forest; by now completely expecting me to follow.

…

"What of your training with Mr. Perry?" He asked absent-mindedly several minutes later.

"I finished medical _school_." I said with air-quotes. "He said I have the knowledge equivalent of over 20 year's experience, a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Physiology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and surgery." I listed. "As well as several other areas."

Olcadan nodded encouragingly and I continued. "And Leatherhead says I'm like a walking talking science museum on steroids." I joked and he laughed out loud.

"You have done very well." He congratulated as we walked into town and started down the main street. My brothers and I had only just recently begun to visit other towns in the area; so I wasn't all that used to _crowds_ yet; which resulted in me unconsciously surveying my surroundings at all times.

"I am very _proud_ of you." He revealed a second later and I couldn't help looking at him with a smile. "After today you will no longer need me and I couldn't be happier to see it." He admitted.

"I promise to come visit." I told him; feeling kind of bad for leaving him _alone_ in the woods again like he had been before we met.

"_Aiya_, God forbid!" He grumbled with another smile. "Can't you give this poor fool a break? I think I'll need _another_ five years to recover from you as is."

"Be nice." I joked back. "Cause you know I'll remember this when I'm changing your bed pan and bringing you hearing aid batteries when you're old and senile." I commented before scrunching my face up in a thoughtful look. "Oh that's right; you _already_ _are_."

"_Aiya_!" He commented sourly; giving the road ahead of us a mortified look. "I've created a _monster_."

…

After another minute of friendly banter Olcadan suddenly stopped at a random apartment building.

"Here we are." He stated and I quickly forced down my nerves again to study the place. "Let us see what you have learned." He proclaimed before opening the door and we both started up the stairs.

A minute later he had led me to a room that had once been apartment number 48 in its day and knocked loudly before standing back to wait. It didn't take longer than a minute for the door to fly open and a mutant who resembled a human/golden retriever appeared in a rush.

"Olcadan!" The man stated hurriedly; reaching out to momentarily shake my Sensei's hand before quickly moving aside so we could enter. "Please, please come in." He _commanded_.

"How is she?" Olcadan asked coolly as the man led us through the house.

"I –" He started before seeming to go into an all out panic-mode. "I don't know, the pain is getting worse and –"

"Nao please calm yourself!" Olcadan requested. "All is well." The man took several deep breaths; trying to do as he was told, but was obvious not succeeding. "Donatello." Olcadan said then and I turned to him.

"What do you see?" He asked me immediately.

I recognized the question quickly as it had been apart of my training to walk into any room, gather evidence upon first glance, put it all together and find out exactly what I was up against so I could then make a list of things the patient would need; all before I even saw them.

"Menstrual Blood." I stated quickly; as I had noticed the smell even before Nao had opened the door. "Wet towels and white sheets." I added looking around at the piles of soiled satin in the corners. "A mother in her last stages of pregnancy." I finally revealed, "And judging from the father's reaction; probably her _first _child." I stated confidently.

I realized I was being a little rude; but I was here to do a job not be nice to the people who got in my way, and on top of that the cold hard truth could sometimes snap those people out of their panic long enough to be of some assistance.

"Good." Olcadan praised as we walked into a poorly lit room and I got my first glance at the situation I would be remedying.

"Olcadan." She said smiling at him warmly before wincing in discomfort.

"How bad is the pain?" I asked her immediately kneeling at her side as I quickly pulled a bottle from my bag and started measuring out the substance, but both the husband and wife just looked at me in confusion for half a second before I repeated my question again for sternly to snap them out of it.

"Perhaps an 8." She answered and I noticed her looking at Olcadan worriedly; who was quietly taking a seat in the corner without any concern what-so-ever, confidentially leaving everything up to me.

"Take this." I ordered; bringing her back to the present as I gently put the medicine in her hand.

"I don't understand." Nao stated toward Olcadan as his wife followed my order with only a brief moment of hesitation. "Who is _he_?" Nao asked but I ignored him as I went about checking her vitals and seeing how far along she was; leaving Olcadan to answer him instead.

"Relax." My Sensei assured him somewhat sternly. "He is my student; he is here for his final test."

"_Test_?" The man demanded angrily.

"Sir." I said in a quietly deadly voice; causing him to shut up in the middle of his rant. "Your baby will be here in a matter of _minutes_; but if you're not going to corporate I'll have to ask you to _leave_."

"You can't do –" He started but I quickly interrupted him again. I did _not _have time for this.

"I can and I _will_." I told him as I gently helped the woman to lay down more, not once taking my eyes off her.

"Nao!" She said quietly when he finally recovered from his shock and opened his mouth to retaliate again. "He is more than capable and Olcadan is right here. Now _stop_ being stubborn and _get over here_."She insisted sternly and I couldn't help but hold in a laugh as the man shut up and obeyed his wife's every command.

Well at least _someone _in this family had their head on straight.

…

(Censored Content)

…

Nearly an hour later I had successfully delivered a healthy baby girl; who would appear to be a very _pretty_ mixture of golden retriever and _chinchilla_. The husband had finally shut up and the mother (_Chika_) was recovering nicely; so all in all I had done my job and passed my finally test.

To bad I was a complete _wreck._

Olcadan came up and placed a hand on my shoulder as the family oohed and aahed at their newest addiction and before I even realized we had left the room; my Sensei had herded me into the bathroom where he started to run some water in the sink.

He then gently pulled my hands under the current and washed them of the blood as I continued to shake uncontrollably. "You did well." He praised me quietly.

"I was scared out of my mind." I admitted with a nervous little laugh as I couldn't help leaning against him; fearing that my legs were about to give out on me.

"That is alright." He proclaimed turning off the water again and carefully led me over to sit on the toilet. "You may have been scared; but you worked through it and performed the job." He stated handing me a towel that I just proceeded to look at.

"Your hands were steady and your nerves were sharp." He continued. "You detached yourself from the situation and worked will under the pressure. Without you two lives may have been lost today."

I looked up at him after he said this and gave him a little smile before completely breaking down and _cried_.

It took me several minutes to gather myself again; at which point Olcadan left to check on the baby and her mother. Even though he was confident that both were well and safe he obviously just wanted to leave me in peace.

I hung the towel up when I was done with it and took one little glance at the mirror as I left, but I had no need to dwell there. I already _knew _who I was; I didn't need a piece of shinny glass to tell me differently.

…

_Nao ~ Docile, esteemed_

_Chika ~ __A thousand summers; a thousand songs_

…

It was my 15th hatchday and all I wanted to do was _sleep_. Two whole days off after _years _of almost constant work; it was a wonder I wasn't in a coma. But it wouldn't last long as our final test to become _Jounin_ was only a week away.

"Hey!" I opened my eyes and looked over the arm of the couch to find Raph standing over me. "Someone ta see ya." He said nodding his head in the direction of the doorway and I was almost immediately on my feet when I found it was Olcadan.

"Sensei." I declared loudly.

"Relax Donatello." He stated as Raph made to fold his arms and lean against the couch; completely intending to butt-in on this potentially private conversation. "I am no longer your Sensei." Olcadan continued and I looked at him in shock.

"We are _equals_ my friend." He proclaimed as he sat down heavily in the rocking chair and I quickly took up the spot I had previously vacated. "I merely came to wish you happy birthday."

"Oh." I stated simply and Raph snickered behind his hand at my somewhat _small_ vocabulary. I turned to glare at him quickly but he remained unfazed as always, leading Olcadan to laugh as well before continuing.

"I thought you would like to know that the baby is doing just fine." I perked up at that and smiled. "Nao and Chika have decided to name her '_Atae_._'_" He proclaimed leaving me to figure out the meaning for myself and I smiled almost immediately in understanding.

However my brother was not so fortunate.

"Gift?" He asked truthfully. "Not that; that isn' a pretty name." He assured us quickly before continuing. "But what da ya two know that I don'?" He asked studying us both skeptically.

"_Donatello_." I instructed trying to relay the secret meaning, but he still didn't get it and I sighed before deciding to just tell him outright "Donatello is _Italian_ for _gift_." I explained and he suddenly lit up.

"Hey." He proclaimed loudly; immediately trapping me in a head-lock to give me a playful noogie and I heard Olcadan laughing at us again as I worked to detach my older sibling then looked up as he reached into his robe and pulled out something wrapped in simple brown paper.

"Raphael." The older mutant proclaimed getting his attention quickly. "Will you do an old man a favor and deliver this to your little brother?" He asked to which Raph immediately pushed me away to retrieve the package and I nervously approached as he proceeded to study the offering curiously.

"Ooo, what did ya get _little _brother?" He teased and Olcadan smiled again.

"Don't you have anything _better _to do?" I asked sourly; quickly rescuing my present from my sibling's prying fingers.

"Nope." He quailed happily and leaned against my shoulder to watch me open the gift and I sighed loudly before untying the old twine and unwrapped the light-weight package.

"Huh!" Raph stated obviously a little confused but all I could do is smile as the removal of the paper revealed – _nothing_.

My brother curiously moved it about looking for whatever was supposed to be there; but the only thing he found was a small drawing on the wrapper itself of a _Changleska_; the Lakota medicine wheel.

Four colors of black, white, red and yellow which stood to remind others of the virtues of wisdom, generosity, courage and humility, while it's four directions served to balance emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health.

It was simple; but it had always been the emblem Olcadan chose to carry as proof of his position of healer.

"There's nothin' there?" Raph asked respectfully, obviously still trying to figure out what I knew that he didn't.

"That's the point." I told him quietly. "There's _nothing _left for him to give me."

"But –" He started again before suddenly getting it. "Oh!" He proclaimed and laughed lightly as he placed his arm over my shoulders. "So does that mean ya can finally tell us all yur secrets?" He added with a smirk.

I automatically got a little defensive about that; for I knew there were a few things about my training that my brothers were certain to be irate about; Raph in particular and in no small way.

However before I could tell him to go eat a worm or something Olcadan released a small laugh and we looked back at him. "I should have known they would find our secrecy _trying_." He stated quietly before looking up at me. "You are aware that you are not _bound_ by that any longer?"

I didn't answer out loud but just nodded in understanding.

"So he can tell us?" Raph asked quizativly.

"If he so chooses." Olcadan responded seriously. "It is no longer my place to teach; but _his_."

"What?" My brother asked and I sighed.

"He means that it's _my turn_ to find an _apprentice_." I explained simply causing him to look at me in shock.

"You have a apprentice?" He declared and I glared at him.

"Not _yet_." I announced in annoyance; hoping to get him to shut up so I could enjoy my graduation. I swear he could be more aggravating than Mikey sometimes.

We looked back around as Olcadan let out another little laugh in response to our conversing. "It is often hard to decide if you two are the best of _friends _or the worst of _enemies_." He proclaimed causing us to stare at each other questionably before looking away in practiced ignorance.

The older mutant just laughed again before using his staff to pull himself back to his feet and walked over to the doorway once more; where he quietly turned around to say one last thing.

"Good luck my friend; I _wait_ for the world you _change_."

…

_Atae ~ Gift, named after Donnie._ ^-^

…

_(Raph's POV)_

The _kusari_-_fundo_ made a loud *_thunk_* as the weapon hit the wooden practice log perfectly and I stood up straight again to look toward Roku who was hardly even paying attention as he whittled away on a stick.

"What does kusari-fundo mean?" He quizzed suddenly and I sighed before answering the question.

"Chain and weight." I had been at this for almost a month now, nothing but welding weapons I had already mastered and labeling off their uses and history. Donnie and Mikey had already completed their finally tests but I was going to be left behind if he didn't get his ass in gear.

"And?" He prompted still not looked at me as he blew away his wood scraps.

"It's also called a _Manrikigusari_." I quoted.

"And?" He repeated and I groaned loudly as I turned to glare at the ground.

"Which means ten thousand power chain."

"Good." He proclaimed with a smirk before returning his knife to the sheath on his belt before suddenly whipping something else from his pocket and I was forced to dodge as kunai flew past to embed itself into the pole behind me.

"Hey!" I yelled at him but he just continued to smile.

"Relax, it wasn' gonna hit ya." He told me smartly and I glared at him. "Take it up." He ordered and I cautiously moved to remove the blade from the wood, watching him cautiously the whole time.

"I already did this one." I told him truthfully.

"The kunai is an excellent multi-functional weapon." He advised as if I hadn't spoken, (it was a wonder anyone was sane in this place with him living here.) "Show me how ya _hold_ it." He ordered suddenly and I gave him a look before moving the handle around so I could grip it like I had been taught.

"No, no, no!" He argued.

"What?" I asked. "That's right." I insisted.

"I didn' ask for _right_." He complained. "Show me how _you _– would hold it."

"But –" I started now completely confused.

"Humor me." He interrupted before I could get another word out and I sighed again before moving to experiment with the blade until I had discovered a position that seemed almost _natural_ causing him to lean down to study my hand thoughtfully and I was about to ask him what the deal was when he hummed to himself and strolled away.

"Roku?" I asked running after him.

"Keep up." He ordered simply and I growled at his back. A minute later we had circled his house and he stormed into the little shed he had out back that housed his tools.

"Where are ya?" He grumbled at nothing particular and I immediately ducked as an axe suddenly embedded itself in the wall behind me.

"What are ya looking for?" I asked but didn't receive an answer as he just continued to swear at more inanimate objects; forcing me to retreat from the shed again as more sharp tools started flying.

"Ah ha." He proclaimed several minutes later and I looked up from my spot leaning against the wall to watch him blunder from the shed. "Here." He said immediately and proceeded to throw something at me underhanded.

I instinctively caught it before it could break my face and looked down at the rusted old piece of metal skeptically. "What's this?"

"A _jitte_." He answered. "Or it _use _ta be." He corrected studying another one carefully before throwing it to me as well and walked off again. "Come on keep up. We haven' got all day." He commanded as I quickly gathered the weapons and rushed after him.

…

An hour later we had arrived at Gen's house and I couldn't help but groan. I had mastered the bucket thing months ago but Roku still continued to bring me here for other forms of torment. Between my training with him and Gen's torturous activities I was lucky to be only _half_-dead by the end of the day.

"Gen!" Roku yelled at the house but I barely heard him as I had gotten use to this and covered my ears before he could make the loud sound.

"I can hear you." The old lady's voice proclaimed and we both turned around as she walked right between us. (I don't even think _Roku_ had known she was there.) "I thought you were going to give this child a break?" She asked causally walking up to her house without even looking at us.

"That was the plan." Roku admitted and I looked at him in horror; I was _supposed_ to have a day off and he brought me here anyway? "But he's got a lil' problem." The bear continued; ignoring me completely.

It was only at that moment that Gen finally turned to look at us and I had to stop myself from twitching as her deep black eyes studied me intensely. After a minute she nodded and started walking into the woods; this time in the opposite direction of the falls.

"Come with me." She ordered simple and I turned to look at Roku in confusion as he followed her; but he didn't acknowledge me so I just walked after them anyway.

…

"That should be good." Gen stated after I had been working my shell off for well over 3 hours just to keep a fire going.

"Now – what?" I asked between breaths.

"Now we forge ya a weapon." Roku stated walking up to place the two jitte directly in the fire and closed the door to the oven.

"What?" I asked completely shocked.

"Roku, have you not even _told _this child what is happening?" Gen asked as she rested on a rock several feet away.

"I knew I forgot somethin'." Roku joked; rubbing my head childishly and I swatted him away.

"But I'm not _allowed_ ta carry a weapon." I told them slightly annoyed. My brothers and I had been told repeatedly that we wouldn't be permitted to carry a weapon until we had preformed our final test. It was understandable and we couldn't really ague with the logic, but at the rate _I_ was going I would be _60_ before I made that hurtle.

"Who said anythin' about _carrying _it?" Roku asked plopping down on a log as he pulled out his knife and stick again to continue his carving.

"When a weapon master starts his training he is required to learn all there is about the tools for his trade." Gen explained and I looked back at her. "However his _main _weapon should always remain his finest."

"What?" I stated in shock.

"We're gonna make ya a _primary_ weapon." Roku explained unnecessarily. "Ya've finished yur training but all the while yur unconscious mind was _lookin'_ for itself in every weapon ya welded."

"Now is the time to take the standards you have created and forge them into something you can _hold_." Gen finished.

Roku laughed when I continued to look at them in shock of what I was hearing and explained a little further. "And once ya find it yur mind will be _satisfied_ and yur training with be _complete_."

…

For days I followed Roku up to Gen's mountain where I heated and beat the molded metal repeatedly; folding it over and over again to remove any impurities but I still had no idea what kind of weapon I was supposed to be building so that was all I really did.

The jitte had stopped looking like an object long ago and instead it was just a big block of iron which I sighed at as I put it back into the forge after folding it one more time then closed the door and sat back on the ground to wait again.

"What troubles you Raphael?" I nearly jumped into the fire as I turned around to find Gen standing behind me.

"I don' know what I'm _doin'_." I muttered after I had calmed my breathing again.

"I can _see_ that." She said looked to the side where Roku had leaned up against a tree and fell asleep about an hour ago. "Did he not give you any _clue_ as to your strengths?" She asked looking back at me.

"No! He just –" I started to argue before suddenly remembering something and quickly pulled a kunai from my belt to study it again and Gen watched over my shoulder as I gripped the blade like I had before with the point between my fingers and my thumb over the handle.

"Ah!" She proclaimed and I looked back at her. "A _sai _welder." She said smiling at me warmly.

"Sai?" I asked trying to remember if I had welded that weapon before.

"A close quarter yet _power_ tool." Gen explained leaning down to draw something in the dirt. "It is probably the _only _weapon capable of defeating the katana. Its shear strength and utility make it a tool warriors have kept at their side for centuries."

She casually drew one last long line in the middle of her picture and moved back so I could study the simple three pronged figure with interest and she smiled before nodding at me and walked away without another word; leaving me to muddle out the riddle on my own.

…

It took a lot of trial and error; but thankfully it was an easy fix when you could just melt it all back together again. For days I chiseled my way through the block until I finally had four different pieces, then I proceeded to hammer them until they were long and flat.

Roku watched over my shoulder every once in a while but for the most part left me to my tinkering as I continued to get the hang of _bending_ until I was finally able to get two of the pieces into a position that I liked and laid the horseshoe-shaped bars aside until I needed them.

I then banged and beat the other two into submission; forcing them into a long rounded-wedge shape with a threatening tip at the end.

It was a lot of work and lot of burns and cuts that hurt like a son-of-a-bitch for hours. But finally the sai were done. Though they were still unfinished and sloppy I still couldn't help but smile as I held them in my hands for the first time.

A perfect fit.

…

Roku introduced me to the grinder in his shop the next morning and I spent the remainder of my day finishing edges and straightening points until I was satisfied. Next; he helped me drill out big enough holes in the horseshoes for the longer points to fit through before finally I melted the whole thing together.

He then taught me how to _quench_ the steel; heating it to an unreal degree and quickly dunking it in a bucket of _oil_, which he said was usually done with water but oil helped to harden and strengthen the metal.

After that he wouldn't let me use the buffer until he was sure I understood the danger of the high powered spinning wheel and then proceeded to stand over my shoulder the whole time while I buffed and polished the blades to perfection.

I decided to recycle the leather grips from the jitte and re-strapped them until they met my expectations until Roku showed me how to wrap the handle with strong red nylon like the grip of a katana before finally helping me to add a pointed, 4-sided pommel to each end and welded everything into place.

As I spent the next few days buffing them to a shine and sharpening the blades I couldn't help but feel like they were missing something but it seemed that Roku was way ahead of me.

…

"Where are they?" I asked a big hunting knife that had appeared in the place I had left my sai. 'This couldn't be happening.' After all the work I had put into them and how could they just be – _gone_?

Tearing through Roku's shed for another minute I finally decided that they weren't there and went to hunt down my teacher; who had probably moved them just to piss me off. I swear the man couldn't spell _organized_ with two hands and a flashlight, I was gonna have to get Donnie to build me some mini trackers for the day something wound up in Timbuktu.

"Roku?" I called looking inside his house but he wasn't there. "Roku!" I yelled as loudly as I could and instinctively fell backwards out-of-the-way as a red and silver something flew past me and imbedded itself in the wall.

"I heard ya the first time, stop screamin'." Roku ordered grumpily as he walked out of the forest.

"Roku, my sai." I insisted before he had even finished speaking. "They're gone, I can't –" It was at that moment that something in my brain seemed to click into place and I turned back to look at the thing he had just thrown at me.

Immediately I returned to the wall to retrieve one of my sai and proceeded to painstakingly check it over for damage, but in the end I only found _one_ difference; as someone had meticulously carved a _kanji_ phrase into the middle blade.

'_Peace comes from within._'

I looked back at Roku as he walked up and handed me my other weapon which I noticed completed the quote.

'_Do not seek it without.'_

"What does that mean?" I asked him quietly but he just smiled.

"That's for _you_ ta find out."

…

_(Leo's POV)_

'This is so not fun.' I thought to myself sourly as I watched Ichi move another of his pieces on the Shogi board then reached out to set my timer again causing me to try and try in another futile attempt to free my hands from their confined position behind my back; but still the ropes wouldn't budge.

A minute later the timer sounded; indicating that I had _forfeited _another round and Ichi just casually turned the dinging object off and moved another of his pieces, this time effectively taking another of my generals that I would have saved had I had the chance and then calmly set the timer again.

"Sensei?" I asked when another of my turns went by without me making a move and he was able to get that much closer to my king.

"Yes Leonardo?" He responded casually not even looking at me as he spoke.

"What does this have to do with training?" I asked softly; trying once again to untie the ropes binding me to the wooden pole at my back so I could save my last knight; but I was once again unsuccessful.

He could have easily won the game so many times already but had chosen instead to pick off my players one at a time until only the king remained; forcing me to suffer through the long drawn-out process.

"As I told you before." He started confidently taking another of my pieces in the process. "Leadership is not _learned_ it is _earned_." He recited and I couldn't help but sigh.

He had said that so many times I was starting to hear it in my dreams.

"I know that, but –" I tried to say however he quickly interrupted me.

"Your brothers were the ones to choose you as their captain." He started again as if I hadn't even spoken. "So tell me; _who_ would _you_ have chosen?"

"I –" I started in shock before realizing that I really didn't know how to answer that. "Raph's always wanted to lead." I finally admitted.

"Do you feel that he should?" Ichi asked quietly.

"Well –" I tried again to breach the touchy subject. "I think he _could _be a good leader." I finally stated and Ichi nodded in agreement.

"What of Michelangelo or Donatello?" The white tiger urged when I remained quiet for a minute.

"Mikey flat out told me he doesn't _want _to lead." I answered simply. "Say's it's too much _work_."

Ichi laughed lightly to himself as he moved to take my second-to-last piece from the board. "And what of Donatello?"

"I don't know I've – never asked him." I admitted watching the ground seriously as he finally moved to take my king and I couldn't help but wince slightly in defeat.

"You will be _surrendering _your position." He suddenly proclaimed as if talking of the weather.

"What?" I panicked but he quickly held up a hand to silence me as he continued.

"There is a method to the madness Leonardo." He instructed wisely. "For in the next week you will give each of your brothers the chance to _lead_ and it will be your job to watch how they do it."

"Not that I'm complaining but – _why_?" I asked in confusion but he only smiled.

"I would have thought you'd figure that out by now." I couldn't help but pout slightly as I now felt truly insulted by his words, but he only laughed and finally explained. "If your team is to remain standing _without_ you; you will need a _second-in-command_."

…

I sat silently within a not-so-deep meditation on the floor of the dojo the next morning as I thought over Ichi's words. This was my final test and to be honest he made perfect sense but I was worried what this would do to my family.

If I chose one of my brothers for a higher position how would the other two react, what if they ostracize him. I couldn't in good faith put their friendship on the line like that; so I'd have to do this _gently_.

"Hey Leo." Mikey's voice interrupted my thoughts a minute later and I opened my eyes to see my brother's enter the room to sit before me. "You needed to talk to us." He added and I nodded in confirmation as I took in each of them individually.

They all possessed the kind of skill and reasoning I was looking for in a lieutenant. Mikey himself had been trained _specifically_ to stand at my side and make up for what I lacked and Donnie was our surgeon_, as such he was __already__ at the next step in the hierarchy of command and had every right to take authority in the case of an injury._

_ Then there was Raph; who obviously wanted the chance to lead and the way I saw it; it was my job to __give __him that chance; that way he wouldn't feel like he'd been __denied__._

_ "Hey." Said brother suddenly argued after I had remained silent for several minutes. "You gonna tell us what's up, or are we gonna have ta __guess__?"_

_ "Raph." I started simply but sternly and he shut up; obviously a little surprised by my tone of voice. "I surrender leadership to you." I finished and the whole room suddenly sounded like it was underwater._

_ "What?" He asked in complete shock._

_ "Leo." Donnie spoke up then. "What's this all about?"_

_ "Yeah?" Mikey put in. "Are you having __doubts __again? 'Cause –"_

_ "That's not it." I told them truthfully. "It's just –" I started again trying to figure out the best way to put it into words until eventually I just decided to make it __blunt__. "My final test is to choose a second-in-command."_

_ "And yur choosin' – __me__?" Raph stated, clearly even __he __had a hard time seeing that as a good idea._

_ "No." I answered sternly, "I mean –" I tried again only to put my head in my hand in the hopes of soothing my quickly growling headache. "Why is this so __difficult__?" I asked the floor sourly before looking up at them again._

_ "I'm going to give __each of__you__ the chance to lead." I finally answered before pointing at Raph. "You're first."_

_ "Why?" He responded and I glared at him. Really the least he could do was __try __to make this easier for me._

_ "You __asked__." I told him simply and promptly gave him a look that promised suffering should he open his mouth to ask me another stupid question._

_ "Okay." He ended up saying and gave me a big grin as I glared at him again. "So what da we do first?"_

_ "That's __your__ decision now." I told him truthfully trying to hide the fact that I was cringing inside._

_ "Oh – right." He proclaimed with a little laugh._

_ "That's not a very good start." Donnie commented earning a stern look from Raphael in the process and I couldn't help but get a little nervous as I clearly saw a bout of __competition __forming between them._

_ "I asked for three D-rank missions." I went on before they could start fighting and handing Raph a piece of paper. "Choose the one you want to do and __lead __the team through the mission."_

"Fair enough." Raph agreed; scanning the short list critically as Donnie leaned over to read it as well.

"But what about you?" Mikey suddenly asked.

"I'm gonna stay here." I stated simply causing them all to quickly look at me again.

"How are ya gonna figure out which one a is the _best _if yur not even _there_?" Raph demanded.

"This isn't about whose _best_ Raph." I told him simply before going on. "Since I'm not participating; I really have no reason to be there and besides I – _can't_ – carry my weapon yet so I'm not _allowed _to go on a mission."

"Good point." He agreed plainly and I glared at him again as he smirked.

"But Leo –" Mikey started again before he was interrupted.

"Then _how_ are we gonna do this exactly?" Raph proclaimed giving me another strange look.

"_You guys _will tell me who you think should be second-in-command." I stated. "I didn't make the call last time so it doesn't seem fair that I should make it _now_."

"Okay." Donnie stated slowly clearly trying to be supportive. "I guess you're first then." He added looking at Raph again.

"Sweet!" He proclaimed with a grin before showing Donnie the list again as he pointed to one of the missions; which caused my purple-clad sibling to immediately adopt a sour expression.

"Seriously?" He asked but this only made Raph's smile widen as he got to his feet and started for the door. Donnie followed a second later as they started arguing about something or other and I couldn't help but cringe as the door closed behind him.

The last thing I wanted was for my brothers to _fight_; yet it seemed to have started almost immediately.

"Leo?" Mikey suddenly spoke up and I turned to look at him in shock, I had honestly forgotten he was there he was being so quiet.

"What's up Mike?"

"I –" He started nervously before taking a breath and declared rather boldly. "I _forfeit_."

"Why?" I asked sourly; as I was really hoping that he would take this chance and see the potential that he truly had. But he just started to play with the tails of his bandana as he looked at the floor solemnly.

"Because I _like_ who I am." He finally answered quietly and I sighed as I realized I had been defeated

"Okay Mikey." I stated simply and smiled at him when he looked up again. "I would never make you do something you don't _want_ to."

With that he promptly beamed at me and threw his arms around my neck in a bear hug. "Thanks bro, you're the best big brother ever."

"You're just realizing this _now_?" I told him with a smile before pushing him away gently. "Now hurry up before you get left behind." I ordered pointing at the door and he quickly panicked as he realized he was supposed to be with Donnie and Raph.

"Right; I'm going." He proclaimed skipping backwards across the room before disappearing behind the frame only to reappear a second later to say, "Thanks bro," then vanished again; leaving me to laugh lightly under my breath.

…

(_3__rd__:_)

"You sure you want to just _quit_?" Donnie asked gently and his only little brother promptly nodded.

"I'm sure; I already know what leadership's like and I don't want _anything _to do with it." Donnie was about to comment on that when Raph who was walking just ahead of them spoke up.

"Will ya two be _quite_?" He ordered sternly causing his siblings to look at him in shock. "What?"

"You sound just like _Leo_." Donnie observed causing the red banded turtle to quickly get in his face.

"Ya ever say that again and yu'll wish ya were never born." He threatened sourly, before turning around to continue trudging through the sewers leaving his brothers to smirk at each other before following.

The oldest of the three had a bad habit of using his natural intimidation powers on his brothers even though he already knew that it worked on just about anyone _but _them – and _Lisa_ of course.

It was still impressive how that girl could wrap such a brut around her little finger without any effort at all.

"And now you sound like Raph again." Mikey commented smirking at his brother's back causing the turtle's body to clench as his anger rose again.

Donnie left his little brother to his fate as he continued to poke at the caged beast that was Raphael; and hopped out of the water to examine a map on the wall.

No one had been down there for years so it was barely even discernable through the dust and rust; but he was able to pry it off the wall and scrub away enough to make out where they were in an attempt to locate the power station for the part of the city above them that didn't have any energy at the moment.

"It should be just – up ahead." Donnie finished slowly as he looked up just in time to find Raph getting ready to deck their orange-clad brother who was still grinning like an idiot even though he was currently trapped against a wall.

"Right." The oldest proclaimed releasing his volunteer punching bag so he could stand a little straighter and act like the leader he was supposed to be playing at the moment. "Now all we need ta do is _find_ it and turn it back on."

"And by '_we_' you mean _me_." Donnie corrected looking down to study the map as he continued to walk.

"I'll give ya _leaderly_ support." Raph bragged earning a sigh from his sibling.

"My hero." Donnie stated dryly. "You know this is actually _your _mission; I shouldn't even be helping you."

"Well than ya can just go back ta Leo and tell him ya forfeit."

"Come on guys; don't fight." Mikey begged seriously; though he could count on one hand the number of times the two brothers before him had been reduced to blows; it couldn't say it had ever been _pretty_.

Admittedly he was becoming concerned that this little _test _of theirs would _increase_ that violence which was the last thing he wanted to see.

"Don't worry Mike." Donnie informed him as he reached out to put an arm around his shoulder. "We're civilized people; we're not gonna fight over something like _this_."

"Only because ya know I'd _win_." Raph countered unhelpfully and Donnie glared at him; however he didn't get a chance to voice his argument as at that moment they happened to walk into an area that looked like it belonged on another planet.

"Whoa!" Mikey exclaimed as he peeked into one of the strange glowing green pods filled with a really vial smelling liquid. "What are they?"

"I think it's a snakeweed lair." Donnie guessed absentmindedly causing his brothers to look at him for further explanation. "They're _plants _exposed to large doses of mutagen to the point that they can no longer get the nutrients they need from the ground. Some of them have resorted to capturing and eating _live prey_;but the majority feed on _energy_."

"Sooo –" Mikey started again still watching the liquid inside the pod as it bubbled slightly; clearly too distracted to think about anything else. "What are they?" He asked again.

"The pods convert the energy or _– people_ they collect into fertilizer." Donnie continued to explain as he walked down a line of the disgusting things in question, checking the insides for any movement. "It doesn't look like it's a _meat_-_eater_ though, but snakeweeds are usually very _territorial_ of their pods so I suggest we get out of here before it comes back."

"Oh come on; I don't want to be _eaten_ by a _plant_." Mikey whined. "That would be way too _embarrassing_ to have on our obituaries."

"Yeah 'cause that's the _real_ concern here." Donnie commented sarcastically as he continued to circle the area looking for the weed's power source. "Here it is – I think." He announced and the other two quickly rushed over to find him carefully pushing some vines out-of-the-way so he could examine a power box on the wall.

"Alright; then let's chop the thing out and get out a here." Raph ordered pulling out a sai in an attempt to sever the vines but Donnie quickly stopped him.

"We actually _don't _need to do that." He explained quietly as he held onto his brother's wrist. "Believe it or not snakeweeds are actually _good _in a situation like this. They only eat the _radioactive _excess energy that we can't use anyway and convert it into a harmless substance." He explained motioning toward the goop in the pods. "And besides if we cut it out it'll only go find another source and if it decides to start _kidnapping _people to survive we're only going to have a _bigger_ problem."

"Well than what da _you _suggest?" Raph demanded as he put away his weapon again and folded his arms in a huff.

"Despite what it looks like the snakeweed _isn't _the problem here." Donnie continued solemnly as he looked back at the wall. "The junction box has just short circuited; I can patch it up and we'll be out a here in a couple minutes." He finished as he pulled his bag around so he could fish a few tools out and started working on the thing.

"Looks like Donnie's stealin' your thunder bro." Mikey stated with a little laugh in Raph's ear; earning a smack upside the head.

"There we go." Said turtle proclaimed a minute later as he twisted two wires together causing the room to suddenly light up as the power came back on. "That should do it." He added before closing the box and turned around so they could head back up-top.

However he didn't get the chance to take even a single step before his feet were pulled out from under him as he was suddenly dragged down another passageway by a root he had been standing on.

"Donnie!" Raph called as he and Mikey rushed after him; but were already getting left behind thanks to the _speed _at which the thing was able to move, but thankfully the purple-clad turtle managed to pull a kunai from his belt and embed it in the mesh-like platform underneath him to stop his movement before he was dragged so far that his siblings couldn't help him.

But unfortunately for him the vine was more stubborn than he had given it credit for; as it suddenly started separating and clinging to its prey from different angles in an attempt to break his hold.

His simple little weapon didn't stand a chance and snapped in half before he could get a grip on something else; but thankfully Raph's sai appeared out of nowhere and struck the ground in just the right place that he was able to grab onto it before he was dragged into the darkness again.

The solid _strength_ of his brother's weapon was enough to keep him from being pulled any further but it took everything he had to keep his hold as the plant continued to rip apart and claw at him like the creature from the black lagoon.

"Anytime guys!" He commanded as his brothers finally arrived on the scene and startled whittling away at the root in an attempt to free him.

"What did I tell you?" Mikey yelled franticly. "We're going to be eaten by a stupid _plant_; people are gonna _laugh _at our funeral and it's gonna be all _your _fault." He argued pointing at Raph sourly; but the red-clad turtle just ignored him as he thrust his other sai into his hands and started ripping the vines apart with nothing but pure strength.

"Just cut the damn things!" Raph ordered sternly and Mikey quickly did as he was told until they were finally able to sever the main vine that controlled all the rest and free Donnie a minute later.

"Are ya alright?" Raph demanded checking him over thoroughly for injuries.

"I'm fine." Donatello informed him though he was clearly in discomfort from having his limps pulled so violently; but quickly waved the concern away as he tried to get everyone back on track. "It's gonna come back; we need to get out of here."

"Not a chance." Raph proclaimed stubbornly as he retrieved his weapons and stood facing the darkness threateningly. "This thing's picked a fight with the _wrong_ turtle."

"We're in its _territory_ Raph." Donnie complained truthfully. "It had every _right _to attack us and it _did_, now let's _go_!" Unfortunately for him his brother turned to argue the point further; which left them with little time to take in the fact that their new _friend _had just arrived on the scene.

"Whoa!" Mikey stated fearfully as he backed up a step. "That is a _big _mutant." He added in a small voice causing his brother's to turn in its direction as well.

"It's about time." Raph proclaimed with a smirk before charging the thing.

"No!" Donnie called after him but found the motion to be useless and unfortunately the only thing he could do now was insure that his brother had _back_-_up_; so he quickly retrieved his staff and rushed in to help.

"Raph we can't _fight _a 12 foot _regenerating_ mutant. We need to _retreat_!" He ordered as he managed to get some of the things arm-like vines tangled around his bo so they weren't swinging around wildly.

"I agree with Donnie." Mikey piped up as he dodged around the creatures feet as it tried to step on them. "This _really_ doesn't seem like a good idea." Unfortunately just as Raph was about to voice his retort the snakeweed dropped a few seed-like pods on his baby brother which exploded into a cloud of spores on contact.

Mikey attempted to cough the things out of his lungs; but it was ready too late as he'd inhaled some and less than a second later he hit the ground as he passed out.

"Mikey!" Raph yelled in a panic when another of the plant's arm's circled around his brother's limp form before turning to run away again.

"Oh no you don't." Donnie called before suddenly jumping up onto the wall where he quickly tangled the vines trapped around his staff through several pipes before letting his weapon go so it would act as the lock and key to his trap; effectively stopping the thing in its tracks.

Together the two siblings managed to reach their little brother and free him again as the plant mutant trashed around trying to get free.

"Come on; while it's distracted." Donnie ordered and they quickly gathered Mikey in their arms and rushed back out of the tunnel.

…

"Hang on." Don called again a few minutes later; a little out of breath as they ducked into the end of a large pipe where he quickly laid Mikey on the ground to check him over. "He's fine; it was just a sleeping spore." He announced quietly before looking up to find his other brother nearly in the grip of hyperventilating.

"Raph he's okay, it's not serious." Noticing that his words weren't reaching him Donnie quickly moved to take his brother by the shoulders and forced the red-clad turtle to look at _him_ instead of Mikey. "Raph _breathe_!" He ordered sternly but he just continued to stare at him like he was a lost little kid.

Before it could get any worse than that Donnie promptly sucker punched his sibling right in the gut; finally _forcing_ him to take a breath. He had to shake his hand a bit to get the feeling back as punching their plastron's was like hitting a brick but thankfully his plan had worked.

Finally managing to bring Raph back from the brink of his panic attack; Donnie checked to make sure he wasn't hurt as he recovered and finally spoke up.

"Your staff." He said simply and Don smiled.

"It's not important." He said immediately; true the weapon had been a gift from Olcadan but he wasn't willing to put his family in danger again just to go back for it.

Raph gave him a look like he might try to argue the point but never got the chance as they both looked around again when a familiar _screech_ from the snakeweed bounced around inside the tunnels while the thing rummaged about the area in search of them.

"Raph." Donnie suddenly said and pointed at the wall behind then which luckily contained a _ladder _back up to the surface and therefore out of the weed's territory.

…

(_Leo's POV_)

By the end of the day I was a total wreck as I paced back and forth in the living room, waiting for my brother's to get home. The missions I had chosen were hardly difficult so I had expected them to be back _long_ before now.

I kept telling myself I would _sense_ if something was wrong; but then again that part of our bond had started to come with a _time displacement_ attached.

Depending on how close we were; the time we were given greatly _varied_ which made it so we were only informed of each other's pain or emotional state when we were in a position to actually _help_ and though this was probably a good way to avoid _distracting_ each other during a fight it was still annoying as all get-out.

I could still barely sense that Raph was deep in the grip of nerves, which I had expected; as he never really did have a good grasp of what it took to be leader, but maybe this was just what he needed, maybe getting the full force of the situation thrust upon him would help break him out of his shell and so he could do the job.

"Leonardo?" I jumped nearly a foot in the air when Splinter suddenly materialized behind me and I whipped around to look at him. "Please sit down my son, your brothers will be fine."

"But what if they're hurt or in trouble or –" I rambled off like a newbie before he reached out to place a calming hand on my shoulder.

"You may not always be there to protect them." He proclaimed truthfully. "This will help them adapt to that truth."

"I – I know but –" I started to say when suddenly I felt Raph's panic _sky-rocket_ and I ended up turning around just in time for the front door to open with a bang allowing my siblings to rush in.

"Sensei!" Raph called out as he carried Mikey in on his back and I nearly stopped breathing right there as I rushed over to see if they were okay. "Mikey's hurt."

"No he _isn't_." Donnie corrected trying to calm him down. "He's just _fine_."

"What happened?" I demanded quickly as my purple-clad brother finally managed to finagle Raph into placing Mikey on the couch.

"He got hit with some kind a _poison_."

"Sleeping spore." Donnie corrected again causing Raph to zero in on him.

"Why aren't ya more worried about this?" He demanded loudly as Splinter moved to place his hand on Mikey's forehead.

"Because he's _okay_." Donnie answered coolly as Raph quickly tried to retaliate again but Donnie just reached out to activate some kind of pressure point in his shoulder which caused our hotheaded brother to immediately calm down a little. "I _promise_ Raph, he's alright." Donatello added genuinely; keeping his hand on his shoulder so he didn't fall over.

"He is correct Raphael." Splinter added and we all turned to look at him as he spoke. "I have seen this kind of thing before, he is in no danger."

That seemed to be the final straw that broke the turtle's back as Raph promptly collapsed into a chair with relief.

"Okay." I spoke up again deciding that my red-clad brother was in no condition to explain so I turned to Donnie instead.

"We were checking out a power outage and we ended up finding a _snakeweed _feeding on the energy." He stated simply.

"Yes." Splinter answered simply as he stroked his beard in thought. "I have seen one of these mutants myself, they are extremely _territorial_."

"That's what Donnie said." Raph told the floor and we looked at him for a second expecting more but he didn't go on.

"All we had to do was repair the junction box." Donnie continued quietly. "Which I did, but –"

"It attacked us." Raph finished sternly. "Donnie wanted ta retreat but it didn' look that tough and I figured if we just took it down we wouldn' have ta deal with it anymore."

"I guess it was _hungry '_cause it tried to _incapacitate_ us." Donnie went on once Raph stopped talking again.

"The sleeping spore?" I guessed and he nodded. "Okay; other than that are you guys alright?"

"Yeah." Donnie answered somewhat distractedly and I didn't miss the strange look he sent Raph's way as he spoke but I chose not to push it anymore and turned to walk into the kitchen.

If anything could wake Mikey from such a deep sleep it would be _pizza_.

…

"I should have been there Sensei." I muttered quietly the next morning when Splinter called me into his room to discus yesterday's happenings. "I shouldn't have –"

"Leonardo." He interrupted and I looked up at him slowly. "Your brother's were unharmed; merely taken off guard. This was not your fault."

"But –" I started to retaliate when another voice broke into the conversation with a cough and I turned to find Raph standing in the doorway.

"Sorry Sensei." He apologized with a little bow. "But can I – talk ta Leo?"

"Of course my son." Splinter answered and quietly got up to leave us alone.

"You okay?" I asked when my brother just continued to stand in the doorway for another minute; looking for all the world like he was _lost_.

"No!" He answered immediately; before finally moving into the room but only to waltz around like a caged animal. "I – you –" I tried to say as I waited patiently for him to find his words. "I never realized what ya were goin' through." He finally answered. "What it _took_ ta be the leader."

"It's okay." I told him gently.

"No it's _not_." He demanded quickly; finally turning around to face me. "All those times I made fun a ya and called ya names and –"

"I remember Raph, get to the point." I told him quickly before he could travel too far off topic.

"They should a never happened." He finally accepted before sitting on the floor next to me in a defeated pile. "I should never a let it happen and I'm – I'm _sorry_."

"Okay." I said slowly. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" He promptly turned to glare at me as I said this; but I held my ground in the face of his fury as he got into the yelling and screaming I was so accustomed to.

"Ya know we were kind a havin' a _moment _here?" He proclaimed in a huff. "Why'd ya have ta go an _ruin_ it?"

I smiled as I realized my tactic had worked before answering him. "Because the last thing I want is for you to start acting like _me_." This promptly caused him to close his mouth around his next argument before I continued. "It wasn't your fault Raph and I don't hold it against you. So there's no reason for you to be so _depressed_."

"I _hate_ it when ya do that." He stated with a growl and I smiled as I realized he had probably been prepared with a whole argument about how he was sorry and something about being the worst brother in existence; but I'd just squashed the whole thing before he could really build up steam.

"It's kind of my _job_ Raph." I answered simply.

"Whatever." He argued leaning back on his heads and turned to glare at nothing in particular.

"Now what _else_ is brothering you?" I quickly asked before I lost him again.

"Mikey told us he forfeited." He proclaimed off topic and I raised an eye-ridge at him before nodding.

"He did." I answered simply. "He doesn't want to take on that kind of responsibility and I can understand where he's coming from."

Raph didn't even seem to hear me as he just continued to look at the shoji doors to the outdoor porch; like he was looking for his next sentence and I had to wait another minute before he finally turned back to me and spoke up again.

"I forfeit too." He stated and I did a double take as his words set in.

"Raph." I told him gently. "It was _one _mistake, you can't just –"

"That's _not_ why." He interrupted me quickly and I stopped talking again to listen. "When Mikey went down –" He started. "I – I panicked, I _froze_ and no matter _what_ I did I – I _could not _pull myself back."

'_Anxiety_.' I thought to myself as he paused to take in a few breaths.

"I have no problem risking _my_ life, but –" He started again only to stop as he could no longer go on.

"I know." I told him understandably and he turned to look at me again.

"But –" He started once more. "_Donnie_ – hebrought me back, he took control a the situation and got us out a there." He continued distractedly as he turned to look at the floor while he spoke. "You told us ta _choose_." He went on. "And I'm tellin' ya that _Donnie _is the best person for the job."

I blinked once in slight shock of his seriousness. Before yesterday I would have never expected Raph to admit something like that but it would seem that he had grown up quite a bit in such a short amount of time. Now it was just up to _me _to accept that and help it along.

"Okay." I told him gently with a nod. "I'll talk to him."

…

Raph was almost annoyingly overprotective of Mikey for the next few days but our little brother was a good sport about it and let him get the worry off his shell, where Donnie on the other hand was obviously well aware of the fact that he had _won _the competition; however it was hard to tell what his thoughts were on the subject as he pretended like nothing had happened.

So before going to talk to him I decided to get some _advice_.

"Enter." Shichi's voice stated from within the castle dojo before I had even reached my hand out to knock. Opening the door I found her slowly moving through some yoga stances in the middle of the room and moved to sit on the sidelines to wait.

"I had a feeling you'd be showing up." She proclaimed without opening her eyes or stopping her _kata_. "What's brothering you, _kame_?"

"I'm supposed to find a second-in-command." I started.

"I'm aware."

"Well – Mikey and Raph have both forfeited."

"You say that like it's a contest." She proclaimed still not looking at me as she moved through her slow-motion fighting style.

"In a way it was, to _them_." I admitted and she snickered lightly. "But now – I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do next."

"Have you spoken with Donatello?" She asked simply.

"No."

"_That_ might be a good place to start." She declared obviously.

"I know but – I know Donnie, he won't _accept_ that." I told her quietly. "He's not the type to take a win because it's _given _to him."

"I can certainly understand his reasoning for that." She stated as she finally stopped her movement to look at me in thought. "But have you ever considered that he wants something _else_?"

"Like what?"

"He's _your_ brother, you tell me." She exclaimed and I turned to look at the ground as I thought that over. "Leonardo." She started again after I remained quiet for another minute and quietly strolled over to sit in front of me. "You have been treating this like a question that needs answering, when in reality it is a _commitment_."

"What do you mean?"

"A second-in-command is not merely there to back up your orders." She answered simply. "A second is in a position to _act_ when his superior is absent, to _lead _when his commander is unable and _enforce_ his power when it is required."

"Like how?" I asked curiously as this started to sound somewhat familiar and she gave me a strange look before explaining further.

"By _stripping _you of your position." She said simply and I couldn't help but look at her in shock.

"But _why_ would he have to do that?" I muttered after I was finally able to talk again.

"There have been moments in history where a leaderhas faced hardships and loss to the point that he is deemed _unfit_ to lead; however they are not always in a proper state of mind and so cannot always see this truth. This is why there _must_ be someone at his side who can force him to stand down for the wellbeing of the people that follow him."

"That makes sense." I admitted looking at the ground solemnly as I realized that Mikey really _was _trained to be my second; however it seemed that someone had failed to take his own personal feelings into account.

"This is _a lot _to ask of someone so close to you." She continued sadly as if she had heard my thoughts and I looked up as she reached out to lay a hand on my shoulder for support. "This is why it is normally _forbidden _for a _sibling_ to be a second. Michelangelo knew this which is why he chose to drop out while he could."

"Raphael would have been a good choice; but unseen events can play havoc on decision making." She continued quietly as I watched her. "I believe it was for these same reasons that Donatello chose to _stay_, he _knew_ you would need him."

"But you _must_ be _sure_, the _trust_ must be _flawless_." She suddenly declared seriously and I sat up a little straighter as she demanded my attention to finish her warning.

"Or it may _destroy_ you both."

…

I thought about Shichi's words all the way home until I finally arrived at the little building down the path from our house that Donnie used as his workshop and swallowed nervously before taking a big breath and reached out to open the door.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as I walked inside only to be greeted by an army of _cars_. "How on earth does he even get them _in _here?" I commented toward the old moss covered truck closest to me.

"I took them apart." Donnie suddenly answered and I jumped out my shell as he causally rolled out from under said vehicle to smirk at me. "It was good practice." He commented when I continued to look at him in shock and he quietly sat up to wipe some grease off his plastron. "What's up?"

"Well –" I started again cautiously. "I need to talk to you."

"About?" He requested standing at his full height as he reached out to close the hood of the truck; only for it to fall off completely and he turned to raise an eye-ridge at the thing for half a second before turning back to me with his full attention.

"Let's sit down." He offered and led the way around and _over_ his garden of metal objects until we eventually came upon a small cleared area where several car seats sat around collecting dust.

"So I guess you heard that Raph _quit_?" I started as we took a seat and he wiped his hands on a clean rag.

"I did." He answered simply.

"So – I guess that means yo–" I began again only for him to interrupt me.

"Leo." He stated seriously and I winced. "I don't know if I can be second either."

I took in a breath before turning to look at him fully. I was willing to take that into account but first I wanted to know if it was for the right reasons. "I know you didn't want to win that way." I told him seriously.

"No." He answered simply looking at the ground as he folded his rag and placed in on his knee. "But Raph told me _why_ and I'm wiling to accept his reasons."

"So then – why wouldn't you want to?"

"I'm afraid you don't have enough _faith _in me." He admitted and I cringed again as the words stung like a bee. "I didn't mean it like that, it's just –" He added before I interrupted.

"I know; I have a really _bad _habit of _worrying _when I shouldn't."

"That's a hell of an understatement." He commented with a laugh and I smiled before looking back up at him.

"Donnie." I started again as I sat up a little straighter. "If you don't want to do it I'll understand. I'll tell Ichi I couldn't find a second and that'll be that."

"You would risk _failing _your final test?"

"Yes." I said without question and he smiled again.

"I can't let you do that." He proclaimed seriously and I was about to tell him otherwise when he kept going. "Which is _why _I have an idea."

"Oh and what might that be?"

He took a big breath as if he was about to say something he really didn't want to. "_Training_."

"Ex_squeeze_ me?" I said in shock as he was the _last _person I would have expected to want to train _more_.

"I think it might work." He went on; leaning over his legs as he continued. "_Trust_ exercises can do wonders for punctilious minds." He stated absentmindedly and I double-backed a moment to confront him about his choice of language.

"What did you just call me?" I requested sternly.

"I was talking with Raph yesterday." He continued; clearly ignoring my question. "And he wants a crash course in _first_-_aid_."

"He what?" I stated in shock.

"Yeah; surprised me too." Donnie admitted. "Apparently that scare with Mikey hit a bit deeper than I first thought. So I cut him a deal; medical training for strength."

"Come again?" I asked suddenly very confused.

"We both know I'm still lacking in the Ninjutsu area." He started simply and I was about to open my mouth and curse him out for the comment when he continued. "I'm gonna start working with him every morning; this way he'll burn off some energy and I'll become a better fighter."

"As for _you_ dear brother." He went on before I could comment. "You will be training with Mikey."

"I will?"

"Yep." He answered simply (clearly that was the end of that.) "He needs to learn how to be a little more serious and you need to learn how to _laugh_. Sounds like a good trade to me."

"And they've both – _agreed_ to this?"

"Mikey did require some – _persuasion_." He admitted quietly. "But _yes._"

I looked at him in thought as I took all this new information in; admittedly it did sound like it would work and this way we would continue to make each other stronger. "So does this mean you'll take the job?" I suddenly asked and he turned to give me a look.

"First I'd like to know something." He admitted sitting up a little straighter as he spoke. "Why do _you _think I would make a good second?"

I had a feeling this was coming; but I was prepared. "Because when it comes right down to it; I don't _care _about our _team_,I just want someone who can protect our _family_." I answered immediately and his eyes widened a little as he took that in; but otherwise stayed quite so I could continue.

"You can temper Raph's rage and control Mikey's emotions. If they were in danger you would _retreat _without question, you'd keep them _alive_; but most importantly you'd keep them _together_."

I was willing to give him all the time he wanted to think that over as this was in no way a decision that should be made on the spot. But less than a minute later he had turned back to me with his reply.

"That's a good answer Leo." He advised and I smiled.

"I thought so too."

The End

* * *

Hallelujah!

Anyhow; that's the end of part 3

I admit this story is going on a lot longer then I first intended; so to keep anyone from getting bored I'm going to mix it up next week and give you a little one-shot special. It will still be connected to The Walls We Build story-line, so look for

"The Ties That Bind"

R&amp;R

XD


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